Government Technology
Digital Communities: city, county and regional technology news

Interference Reduction Technology Receives Patent

Feb 6, 2008, News Report

Found in: Mobile Citizen and Business Services

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) has been awarded a new patent by the U.S. Patent Office that protects technologies relating to the reduction of interference, resulting in improved quality of service and increased capacity.

U.S. Patent No. 7,295,807 is entitled "Methods and Systems for Configuring Satellite Antenna Cell Patterns in Response to Terrestrial Use of Satellite Frequencies."

According to the patent's inventor, Dr. Peter D. Karabinis, the technologies disclosed are currently being developed for MSV's next generation satellite-terrestrial 4G network and are expected to result in customer benefits including improved voice quality, higher data rates, and lower costs.

"A satellite system may inadvertently receive interference from another system (terrestrial or satellite) that is authorized to use the same frequencies. This can have a detrimental impact on the quality of service and capacity," explained Dr. Karabinis, who serves as senior vice president and chief technical officer at MSV. "However, interference tends to be directional; that is, it arrives at a specific angle relative to a desired signal. Exploiting this principle, the patent protects novel techniques of identifying the direction of arrival of interference and responsively modifying the satellite's antenna pattern to maximally reject the interference," Dr. Karabinis added.

According to Dr. Karabinis, the techniques included in this patent not only provide increased operational protection for MSV's space-based network, but also increase capacity for MSV's ATC service without encumbering satellite operations.

MSV says it is is redefining wireless communications through its development of a hybrid satellite-terrestrial communications network, based on MSV's patented ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) technology. The company expects its next-generation network will provide seamless, transparent and ubiquitous wireless coverage of the United States and Canada to conventional handsets. MSV plans to launch two of the most powerful commercial satellites ever built that will enable this network to support communications in a variety of areas including public safety, homeland security, aviation, transportation and entertainment, by providing a platform for interoperable, user-friendly and feature-rich voice and high-speed data services.

Mobile Satellite Ventures is a joint venture between Mobile Satellite Ventures LP and Mobile Satellite Ventures (Canada) Inc. MSVLP is owned and controlled by SkyTerra Communications, Inc. (OTCBB:SKYT).

MSV's MSAT-2 satellite and MSV Canada's MSAT-1 satellite deliver mobile wireless voice and data services primarily for public safety, security, fleet management and asset tracking in the U.S. and Canada. MSV and MSV Canada are developing a hybrid satellite-terrestrial communications network, which they expect will provide seamless, transparent and ubiquitous wireless coverage of the United States and Canada to conventional handsets. MSV holds the first FCC license to provide hybrid satellite-terrestrial services.

MSV and MSV Canada plan to launch two satellites for coverage of the United States and Canada, which are expected to be among the largest and most powerful commercial satellites ever built. When completed, the network is expected to support communications in a variety of areas including public safety, homeland security, aviation, transportation and entertainment, by providing a platform for interoperable, user-friendly and feature-rich voice and high-speed data services. For more information go to http://www.msvlp.com.


Latest News in Mobile Citizen and Business Services

View All Mobile Citizen and Business Services

Latest Government Technology News

View All Government Technology News

Industry Solutions for Government

Read real world deployments of technology in government from our sponsors.

View All Industry Solutions
Exclusive white papers, best practices
and presentations. Registration required.

Highlights

  • Digital Cities Winners Showcase I-Seminar

    The original event was broadcast on: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - Duration: 60-minutes

  • Special Report: A Foundation for the Future of Local Government
    In fiscal 2008, governors' budget proposals show a lower expected growth rate of just 4.2 percent, with expenditures expected to total $642 billion. Pressures will likely increase in health care, criminal justice, employee benefits and pensions, and physical infrastructure -- in part to make up for the lingering effects of cuts made in previous years. Even so, demand for digital infrastructure is increasing.
  • Why Mobile Device Management is Critical to IT
    Learn more about how IT organizations can manage mobile devices as corporate assets, and safeguard the corporate data that is accessed on them.