Cellular/satellite communications system with improved frequency re-use

Claim 2

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; wherein said downconverting means comprise quadrature downconverting means producing an I and a Q baseband signals.

Claim 3

The system as in claim 1, in which said multiplexing means comprises an I-signal multiplexing means and a Q-signal multiplexing means.

Claim 4

The system as in claim 1, in which said modulator means comprises a quadrature modulator means in which an I signal and a Q signal are impressed on respective carrier signals of nominally 90 degrees phase difference.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1, in which said multiplexing means comprises analog to digital conversion of said I and Q baseband signals and digital multiplexing of the resultant digital streams to form I and Q bitstreams.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4, in which said modulator means comprises a digital modulator means in which said multiplexed I and Q bit streams digitally modulate respective quadrature carriers at said second frequency.

Claim 8

A satellite communications system for relaying signals received from a ground station on a second frequency band by transmitting said signals on a first frequency band using a multiplicity of antenna elements, including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; separate modulator means corresponding to each of said separate sample streams for directly receiving said separate sample streams and for modulating a carrier at said first frequency band with said separate sample streams to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said modulated signals using said multiple antenna elements; wherein said downconverting means comprises a quadrature downconverting means producing an I and a Q baseband signal.

Claim 9

A satellite communications system for relaying signals received from a ground station on a second frequency band by transmitting said signals on a first frequency band using a multiplicity of antenna elements, including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; separate modulator means corresponding to each of said separate sample streams for directly receiving said separate sample streams and for modulating a carrier at said first frequency band with said separate sample streams to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said modulated signals using said multiple antenna elements; wherein said downconverting means comprises a quadrature downconverting means producing an I and a Q baseband signal.

Claim 10

The system as in claim 7, in which said demultiplexing means comprises an I-signal demultiplexing means and a Q-signal demultiplexing means and said separate sample streams comprise I and Q sample streams.

Claim 11

The system as in claim 8, in which said separate modulator means includes a quadrature modulator means in which an I sample stream and a Q sample stream are impressed on respective carrier signals having nominally 90 degrees phase difference.

Claim 12

The system of claim 7, in which said demultiplexing means is a digital demultiplexing means producing separate I and Q bitstreams.

Claim 13

The system of claim 10, in which said separate I and Q bitstreams are analog to digital converted and filtered to form corresponding I and Q analog waveforms.

Claim 14

The system of claim 11, in which said I and Q waveforms each modulate a carrier at said first frequency using respective quadrature modulators to generate said corresponding modulated signals.

Claim 15

The system of claim 7, in which said corresponding baseband signal includes an amplitude-corresponding signal and a phase-corresponding signal.

Claim 16

The system of claim 17, in which said separate modulator means comprise an amplitude modulator and a phase modulator.

Claim 17

A bidirectional satellite communications system comprising: a satellite including: a multiple element antenna having multiple antenna elements for receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band; downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station and a ground station including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means, for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; modulator means for modulating a carrier with signals to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said signals to said satellite; and wherein said multiplexing means and said demultiplexing means are synchronized.

Claim 18

A bidirectional satellite communications system comprising: a satellite including: a multiple element antenna having multiple antenna elements for receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band; downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station and a ground station including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means, for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; modulator means for modulating a carrier with signals to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said signals to said satellite; and wherein said multiplexing means and said demultiplexing means are synchronized.

Claim 19

The system of claim 15, in which said ground station further comprises: means for synchronizing said demultiplexing means to a time multiplexed signal received from said satellite on said second frequency band and synchronizing a second multiplexing means for transmission of a time multiplexed signal to said satellite based on propagation delay so that said transmitted signal will arrive in synchronism with a second demultiplexing means on board said satellite.

Claim 20

The system of claim 16, in which said ground station synchronizes said ground station demultiplexing means using pilot samples transmitted by said satellite in the multiplexed sample stream.

Claim 21

The system according to claim 17, in which said pilot symbols include the null symbol (0,0).

Claim 22

The system according to claim 17, in which said pilot symbols are used at said ground station to assist in synchronizing said ground station demultiplexer.

Claim 23

The system according to claim 17, in which said pilot symbols are used at said ground station to correct for transmission or modulation errors.

Claim 24

The system according to claim 15, in which said ground station includes an equalizer for reducing intersample interference arising in the transmission of said multiplexed sample stream.

Claim 25

The system of claim 15, in which said ground station includes a pre-equalizer to reduce intersample interference arising in the transmission of said signals from said ground station to said satellite in said second frequency band.

Claim 26

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; wherein said multiplexing means comprises an I-signal multiplexing means and a Q-signal multiplexing means.

Claim 27

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; wherein said multiplexing means comprises an I-signal multiplexing means and a Q-signal multiplexing means.

Claim 28

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; wherein said modulator means comprises a quadrature modulator means in which an I signal and a Q signal are impressed on respective carrier signals of nominally 90 degrees phase difference.

Claim 29

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; and modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; wherein said modulator means comprises a quadrature modulator means in which an I signal and a Q signal are impressed on respective carrier signals of nominally 90 degrees phase difference.

Claim 30

A satellite communications system for relaying signals received from a ground station on a second frequency band by transmitting said signals on a first frequency band using a multiplicity of antenna elements, including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; separate modulator means corresponding to each of said separate sample streams for directly receiving said separate sample streams and for modulating a carrier at said first frequency band with said separate sample streams to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said modulated signals using said multiple antenna elements; wherein said demultiplexing means comprises an I-signal demultiplexing means and a Q-signal demultiplexing means and said separate sample streams comprise I and Q sample streams.

Claim 31

A satellite communications system for relaying signals received from a ground station on a second frequency band by transmitting said signals on a first frequency band using a multiplicity of antenna elements, including: downconverting means for converting signals received at said second frequency to a corresponding baseband signal; demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said corresponding baseband signal to obtain separate sample streams; separate modulator means corresponding to each of said separate sample streams for directly receiving said separate sample streams and for modulating a carrier at said first frequency band with said separate sample streams to generate corresponding modulated signals; transmit amplifier means for amplifying said modulated signals and transmitting said modulated signals using said multiple antenna elements; wherein said demultiplexing means comprises an I-signal demultiplexing means and a Q-signal demultiplexing means and said separate sample streams comprise I and Q sample streams.

Claim 32

A communications system employing a satellite having a multiple element antenna having multiple antenna elements for receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: satellite downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; satellite multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; satellite modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; ground station receiving means for receiving said multiplexed sample stream from said satellite modulator means; ground station demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said multiplexed sample stream to form separate sample streams; and ground station routing means for routing said separate sample streams to appropriate destination terminals.

Claim 33

A communications system employing a satellite having a multiple element antenna having multiple antenna elements for receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: satellite downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; satellite multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; satellite modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; ground station receiving means for receiving said multiplexed sample stream from said satellite modulator means; ground station demultiplexing means for time-division demultiplexing said multiplexed sample stream to form separate sample streams; and ground station routing means for routing said separate sample streams to appropriate destination terminals.

Claim 34

The communication system of claim 26, wherein said satellite multiplexing means further comprises means for multiplexing a reference signal for transmission to said ground station, for use by said ground station demultiplexing means in synchronizing its operation to said satellite multiplexing means.

Claim 35

The communications system of claim 27, wherein said reference signal comprises a complex analog reference sample.

Claim 36

The communication system of claim 26, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 37

The communication system of claim 26, wherein said baseband signals are fed from said satellite downconverting means directly to said satellite multiplexing means.

Claim 38

The communication system of claim 26, wherein said satellite multiplexing means comprises plural multiplexers for forming plural multiplexed sample streams, wherein each multiplexed sample stream corresponds to a separate frequency-division-multiplexed carrier received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 39

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; and a time-division demultiplexing means for processing time-division multiplexed signals received from said ground station, wherein said demultiplexing means and said multiplexing means use a same clock.

Claim 40

A satellite communications system employing a multiple element antenna receiving signals on a first frequency band and relaying said signals to a ground station on a second frequency band including: downconverting means for converting signals received at each of said multiple antenna elements on said first frequency band to corresponding baseband signals; multiplexing means for directly receiving and time-division multiplexing said corresponding baseband signals to form a multiplexed sample stream; modulator means for modulating a carrier in said second frequency band with said multiplexed sample stream and transmitting said modulated carrier to said ground station; and a time-division demultiplexing means for processing time-division multiplexed signals received from said ground station, wherein said demultiplexing means and said multiplexing means use a same clock.

Claim 41

The communications system of claim 1, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 42

The communications system of claim 7, wherein said satellite demultiplexing means receives a singular multiplexed sample stream.

Claim 43

The communications system of claim 15, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 44

The communications system of claim 23, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 45

The communications system of claim 24, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.

Claim 46

The communications system of claim 25, wherein said satellite demultiplexing means receives a singular multiplexed sample stream.

Claim 47

The communications system of claim 32, wherein said satellite multiplexing means forms a singular multiplexed sample stream which combines all of the signals received by said multiple antenna elements.