US 6,714,761 B1Granted

Meteor burst communication system having the capability of simultaneous communication with multiple remote units

AssigneeStarCom Wireless, Inc.

InventorFred L. Anderson, III

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Abstract

A meteor burst communication system (10) has the capability of simultaneously communicating with multiple remote units (14). The meteor burst system includes a base station (12) having a processing unit, or main processor (16), that generates a probe signal (76). A transmitter (54, 56, 58) transmits the probe signal to the remote units. The remote units receive the probe signal and respond to the probe signal by transmitting data signals (78, 80, 82) to the base station. The base station includes a plurality of receivers (38, 40, 42, 44) that receive the data signals from the remote units. A plurality of receiver processors (46, 48, 50, 52) process the data signals received from the remote units. When the data signals have been received from the remote units, the main processor formulates an acknowledgment signal (84), and the acknowledgment signal is transmitted to the remote units.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of simultaneous communication with at least first and second remote meteor burst units, the method comprising:

simultaneously transmitting first and second data signals from the first and second remote meteor burst units, respectively, to a meteor burst base station;
receiving and demodulating the first data signal from the first remote meteor burst unit with a first receiver in the meteor burst base station to produce a first demodulated data signal;
receiving and demodulating the second data signal from the second remote meteor burst unit with a second receiver in the meteor burst base station, simultaneously with the receiving and demodulating by the first receiver, to produce a second demodulated data signal;
receiving and processing the content of the first demodulated data signal from the first receiver with a first receiver processor dedicated to the first receiver;
receiving and processing the content of the second demodulated data signal from the second receiver with a second receiver processor dedicated to the second receiver, simultaneous with the receiving and processing by the first receiver processor;
formulating an acknowledgment signal after the first and second receiver processors have respectively processed the content of the first and second demodulated data signals;
and
transmitting the acknowledgment signal simultaneously to the first and second remote meteor burst units.

5 more elements

A meteor burst base station capable of simultaneous communication with multiple remote meteor burst units, each remote meteor burst unit including a transceiver that transmits a data signal, the base station comprising:

at least first and second receivers configured to receive and demodulate data signals, the first and second receivers being arranged to simultaneously receive first and second data signals transmitted from first and second remote meteor burst units, respectively, and demodulate the first and second data signals to produce first and second demodulated data signals;
at least first and second dedicated receiver processors arranged in communication with the first and second receivers, respectively, wherein the first and second receiver processors are configured to receive and simultaneously process the content of the first and second demodulated data signals from the first and second receivers;
a processing unit separate from the first and second receiver processors, in which the processing unit is arranged in communication with the first and second receiver processors for generating an acknowledgment signal after the first and second demodulated data signals have been processed;
and
a transmitter in communication with the processing unit for transmitting the acknowledgment signal simultaneously to the first and second remote meteor burst units.

2 more elements

A meteor burst communication system comprising:

first and second remote meteor burst units, each of which include a transceiver that transmits a data signal;
and
a meteor burst base station, including:
(a) first and second receivers arranged to simultaneously receive first and second data signals from the first and second remote meteor burst units and demodulate the first and second data signals to produce first and second demodulated data signals;
(b) first and second dedicated receiver processors in communication with the first and second receivers, respectively, for receiving and processing the content of the first and second demodulated data signals from the first and second receivers;
(c) a processing unit separate from the first and second receiver processors, in which the processing unit is arranged in communication with the first and second receiver processors for generating an acknowledgment signal after the first and second demodulated data signals have been processed;
and
(d) a transmitter in communication with the processing unit for transmitting the acknowledgment signal simultaneously to the first and second remote meteor burst units.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.