Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for reducing signal blocking in a satellite communication system

US6138012A · kind A · utility

84Cited by
18References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 4, 1997
Grant dateOct 24, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 4, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B7/18534
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A communication system is established for providing dual-coverage areas using communication satellites, one or more terrestrial stations and one or more dual-coverage subscriber units (DCSU). The communication system determines when and where to establish dual-coverage areas. Dual-coverage areas are provided using separate beams from two or more satellites. The satellites can be located in a variety of orbits around the earth. DCSUs receive signals and process data from at least two satellites at one time. DCSUs can also transmit signals to at least two satellites at one time. Data packets which are missing from one channel are replaced by data packets on another channel. Path delays are compensated for on the transmit side to minimize processing requirements on the receive side.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.