Satellite cellular telephone and data communication system

Claims

What is claimed is:

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

a plurality of satellite switching means for being positioned in orbit; and

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;

each of said plurality of satellite switching means including first means for handing-off the communication link between said 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.

2. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 1, said plurality of satellite switching means including:

a plurality of satellite switching unit means positioned surrounding the earth in low-earth orbit; and

second link means for permitting multi- directional communication between one of said plurality of satellite switching unit means and any adjacent satellite switching unit means.

3. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 2, said second link means including microwave communication means.

4. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 2, said second link means including laser communication means.

5. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 2, said satellite switching unit means including:

antenna means coupled to said plurality of users for establishing the communication link between said users and satellite switching unit means;

solar cell means for providing power for said satellite switching unit means; and

storage battery means connected to said solar cell means for storing said power.

6. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 1, 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 with certain ones of said plurality of users to another one of said cell means.

7. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said users is connected to said link means by cellular telephone means.

8. 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.

9. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said link means includes gateway means for connecting said communication link to a selected one of said users of said public switched telephone network means, said gateway means for connecting providing gateway facility services between said satellite switching means and said public switched telephone network means.

10. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of users of said satellite cellular communication system is connectable to said link means by cellular telephone means.

11. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 10, said satellite switching means including:

a plurality of satellite switching means positioned surrounding the earth in low-earth orbit; and

second link means for permitting multi-directional communication between one satellite switching means and any adjacent satellite switching means.

12. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 11, said second link means including microwave communication means.

13. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 11, said second link means including laser communication means.

14. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 11, said satellite switching means including:

antenna means coupled to said plurality of users via said cellular telephone means for establishing communication between said users and satellite switching unit means;

solar cell means for providing power for said satellite switching unit means; and

storage battery means connected to said solar cell means for storing said power.

15. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 8, 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 said first and second users to a second of said plurality of cell means.

16. 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.

17. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of users is connected to said first link means by cellular telephone means.

18. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 16, said second link means including microwave communication means.

19. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 16, said second link means including laser communication means.

20. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 17, said satellite switching means including:

antenna means coupled to said plurality of users via said cellular telephone means for establishing communication between said users and satellite switching means;

solar cell means for providing power for said satellite switching means; and

storage battery means connected to said solar cell means for storing said power.

21. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 16, said plurality of cell means projecting communication beams, each said cell means operable to hand-off said established communication link with certain ones of said plurality of users to another one of said cell means within the same satellite switching means.

22. 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.

23. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 22, said data base means including data base computer means and data base link means for coupling said data base computer means to at least one of said satellite switching means for the transmission of said switching information relating to others of said users to said satellite switching means.

24. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 23, said data base computer means including a plurality of data base computers unit means, said data base computers unit means being located in a corresponding plurality of geographic areas about the earth.

25. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 22, said satellite switching means including:

a plurality of satellite switching unit means positioned surrounding the earth in low-earth orbit; and

second link means for permitting multi-directional communication between one satellite switching unit means and any adjacent satellite switching unit means.

26. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 25, said satellite switching unit means including:

antenna means coupled to said plurality of users for establishing communication between said users and satellite switching unit means;

solar cell means for providing power for said satellite switching unit means; and

storage battery means connected to said solar cell means for storing said power.

27. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 22, 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.

28. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 25, said second link means including microwave communication means.

29. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 25, said second link means including laser communication means.

30. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of said users is connected to said link means by cellular telephone means.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 32, 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.

34. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 32, wherein each of said users is connected to said link means by cellular telephone means.

35. 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.

36. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 35, wherein each said satellite switching means includes distributed local processor means for determining switching of a call between said users.

37. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 35, wherein each said satellite switching means includes distributed nodal switching means.

38. 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.

39. A system as set forth in claim 38 wherein the system comprises at least two satellites, and the switching occurs between the two satellites.

40. 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.

41. 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.

42. In a satellite cellular communication system utilizing radio satellites for establishing communication among a plurality of users on the earth comprising:

a plurality of satellite assemblies adapted to be positioned in low-earth orbit, each including cellular telephone switching means, a first communication link providing a multi-cell contiguous pattern on the earth and coupling a signal from a cellular telephone user in the pattern to one of the satellite assemblies, and a second communication link communicating with an adjacent other of the satellite assemblies, said switching means handing-off the user's signal among the multi-cell contiguous pattern of said one satellite and to said multi-cell contiguous pattern of said other satellite assemblies via said second link, said hand-offs occurring as said satellite assemblies traverse their orbits and said contiguous multi-cell pattern moves through said user.

43. A satellite assembly for a cellular communication system utilizing a plurality of radio satellites for establishing communication among a plurality of users on the earth, said assembly adapted to be positioned in low-earth orbit and including:

first communication link means for providing a multi-cell contiguous pattern on the earth for coupling a communication from a cellular telephone user in the pattern to one radio satellite of said satellite assembly, and second communication link means providing communication to an adjacent radio satellite, cellular telephone switching means coupled to said first and second communication link means and adapted to hand-off the user's communication among the cells of the multi-cell contiguous pattern and among said second communication link means as said radio satellite traverses its orbit and said contiguous multi-cell pattern moves through said user.

44. 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.

45. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 44, wherein there is further included:

third means for handing-off the communication link from said first satellite switching means to a fourth satellite switching means moving in an opposite direction from said first satellite switching means and being in an adjacent orbiting plane.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 47, said satellite switching means including:

a plurality of satellite switching unit means positioned surrounding the earth in low-earth orbit; and

second link means for permitting multi-directional communication between one satellite switching unit means and any adjacent satellite switching unit means.

49. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 48, said satellite switching unit means including:

antenna means coupled to said plurality of users for establishing communication between said users and satellite switching unit means;

solar cell means for providing power for said satellite switching unit means; and

storage battery means connected to said solar cell means for storing said power.

50. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 48, said second link means including microwave communication means.

51. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 48, said second link means including laser communication means.

52. A satellite cellular communication system as claimed in claim 47, wherein each of said users is connected to said link means by cellular telephone means.