Satellite cellular telephone and data communication system

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit;
• link means for coupling at least a first user of said plurality of users to said satellite switching means for establishing a communication link between said first user and a second user via said satellite switching means, said second user being selected from said plurality of users by said first user;
• means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means;
• and
• said link means further coupling said satellite switching means to a public switched telephone network means, said public switched telephone network means operating to selectively couple users of said public switched telephone network means with said first or said second users of said satellite switching system via said link means.

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• a plurality of satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit;
• first link means for coupling said users to at least one of said plurality of satellite switching means establishing a communication link between selected ones of said users via said satellite switching means;
• first means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means;
• second link means for permitting multi-directional communication between one satellite switching means and any adjacent satellite switching means;
• each of said plurality of satellite switching means including a plurality of cell means for providing the communication link;
• and
• each of said plurality of satellite switching means including second means for handing-off the communication link from a first to a second cell means within the same satellite switching means.

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit;
• link means for coupling at least one of said users to said satellite switching means establishing a communication link between selected ones of said users via said satellite switching means;
• means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means;
• and
• data base means coupled to said satellite switching means via said link means, said data base means for storing and transmitting switching information pertinent to each of said plurality of users.

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit;
• link means for coupling at least one of said users to said satellite switching means establishing a communication link between selected ones of said users via said satellite switching means;
• means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means;
• cellular telephone means having a control signal for connecting each of said users to said satellite switching means via said link means;
• data base means coupled to said satellite switching means via said link means, said data base means for storing and transmitting switching information pertinent to each of said plurality of users;
• and
• said satellite switching means operating in response to said control signal of each of said user's cellular telephone means to update said data base means with a present location of each user.

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• satellite switching means for being positioned in low-earth orbit;
• link means for coupling at least one of said users to said satellite switching means establishing a communication link between selected ones of said users via said satellite switching means;
• and
• means for handing-off the communication link by the satellite switching means.

A satellite cellular communications system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• a plurality of satellite switching means for use in non-geosynchronous orbit;
• link means for coupling said users to at least one of said plurality of satellite switching means establishing a communications link between selected ones of said users via said satellite switching means;
• and
• each of said plurality of said satellite switching means including means for handing-off the communications link between said satellite switching means.

A satellite cellular communication system for transmitting or receiving a communication from a user comprising:

• a satellite positioned in earth orbit and having at least two cell means, each cell means comprising a communications channel projected by said satellite;
• link means for coupling the user to a first cell means of the satellite;
• and
• means coupled to the first cell means for switching the communication to a second cell means during the communication.

A geographic frequency reuse communication system for transmitting or receiving a communication from a user comprising:

• satellite switching means positioned in low-earth orbit;
• and
• means for coupling the user to said satellite switching means to establish a communication link over which the communication is transmitted;
• and
• means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means.

A satellite frequency reuse communication system for transmitting or receiving a communication from a user comprising:

• satellite switching means positioned in low-earth orbit;
• means for coupling the user to said satellite switching means to establish a communication link over which the communication is transmitted;
• and
• means for handing-off the communication link between said satellite switching means.

A satellite cellular communication system for communicating among a plurality of users comprising:

• a plurality of satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit, said plurality of said satellite switching means being in a plurality of orbiting planes;
• link means for coupling said users to said satellite switching means establishing a communication link between at least two of said plurality of users via said satellite switching means;
• first means for handing-off the communication link between said at least two of said plurality of users from a first satellite switching means to a second satellite switching means in the same orbiting plane as said first satellite switching means;
• second means for handing-off the communication link between said at least two of said plurality of users from said first satellite switching means to a third satellite switching means in an adjacent orbiting plane;
• each said satellite switching means including a plurality of cell means for providing the communication link;
• and
• said satellite switching means including third means for handing-off the communication link from a first to a second cell means within the same satellite switching means.

A satellite communication system for communicating between at least two users including a called user and a calling user, said satellite communication comprising:

• a plurality of satellite switching means positioned in orbit;
• link means for coupling said calling user via a first satellite switching means to said called user via a second satellite switching means to establish a communication link between said calling user and said called user;
• and
• means for handing-off said communication link of said calling from said first satellite switching means to a third satellite switching means and for contemporaneously handing-off said communication link of said called user from said second satellite switching means to a fourth satellite switching means.

A satellite cellular communication system for establishing communication among a plurality of users comprising:

• satellite switching means positioned in orbit;
• link means for coupling said users to said satellite switching means whereby a communication link is established between said at least one user and a first selected one of said users via said satellite switching means;
• means for handing-off the communication link of said at least one user and said first selected one of said users between said satellite switching means;
• each of said satellite switching means including a plurality of cell means projecting communication beams, each said cell means operable to hand-off said established communication link between a first and a second ones of said selected users to a second of said plurality of cell means;
• data base means coupled to said satellite switching means, said data base means for storing and transmitting switching information pertinent to each of said plurality of users;
• said data base means including data base computer means and data base link means for coupling said data base computer means to said satellite switching means for the transmission of said switching information relating to said users to said satellite switching means;
• and
• said data base computer means including a plurality of data base computers unit means, each of said plurality of data base computers unit means being located in a geographic area about the earth.