Multi-mode satellite and terrestrial communication device
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorRobert L. Robinett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a multiple band mobile radio (also referred to as a Wireless Communication Device (WCD)) capable of communicating with both a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system. The satellite communication system can be, for example, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite system. The terrestrial communication system can be a Personal Communication System (PCS), or a cellular system, including either an analog or a digitally based cellular system. The cellular analog system can be AMPS. The digitally based cellular system can be a CDMA or a TDMA based communication system. The WCD can concurrently receive signals from the terrestrial communication system and the satellite communication system.
Claims42
A multi-mode Wireless Communication Device (WCD) for communicating with a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system, comprising:
- a satellite transmit channel to produce a satellite Radio Frequency (RF) transmit signal to be transmitted to at least one satellite of the satellite communication system;
- a satellite receive channel to receive and process an RF signal transmitted by the satellite;
- a terrestrial transmit channel to produce a terrestrial RF transmit signal to be transmitted to the terrestrial communication system;
- and
- a terrestrial receive channel to receive and process an RF signal transmitted by the terrestrial communication system.
16 The WCD of claim 1, wherein each of the satellite and the terrestrial receive channels comprises:
- an RF section;
- a frequency down-converter following the RF section;
- and
- an Intermediate Frequency (IF) section following the frequency down-converter.
The WCD of claim 16, wherein the satellite and the terrestrial receive channel IF sections share a common receive IF path.
A method for communicating with a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system, comprising:
- producing a satellite Radio Frequency (RF) transmit signal to be transmitted to at least one satellite of the satellite communication system;
- receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the satellite;
- producing a terrestrial RF transmit signal to be transmitted to the terrestrial communication system;
- and
- receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the terrestrial communication system.
A method for communicating with a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system, comprising:
- producing a satellite Radio Frequency (RF) transmit signal to be transmitted to at least one satellite of the satellite communication system over a satellite transmit channel;
- receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the satellite over a satellite receive channel;
- producing a terrestrial RF transmit signal to be transmitted to the terrestrial communication system over a terrestrial transmit channel;
- and
- receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the terrestrial communication system over a terrestrial receive channel.
Apparatus for communicating with a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system, comprising:
- means for producing a satellite Radio Frequency (RF) transmit signal to be transmitted to at least one satellite of the satellite communication system;
- means for receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the satellite;
- means for producing a terrestrial RF transmit signal to be transmitted to the terrestrial communication system;
- and
- means for receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the terrestrial communication system.
Apparatus for communicating with a satellite communication system and a terrestrial communication system, comprising:
- means for producing a satellite Radio Frequency (RF) transmit signal to be transmitted to at least one satellite of the satellite communication system over a satellite transmit channel;
- means for receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the satellite over a satellite receive channel;
- means for producing a terrestrial RF transmit signal to be transmitted to the terrestrial communication system over a terrestrial transmit channel;
- and
- means for receiving and processing an RF signal transmitted by the terrestrial communication system over a terrestrial receive channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.