MXPA06001127A - Systems and methods for modifying antenna radiation patterns of peripheral base stations of a terrestrial network to allow reduced interference - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless communications system may include a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area. At least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area. Related methods are also discussed.

Description

ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), For two-leiler codes and other abbm > ialions. Refer to the "Guid. European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, Fl, ance Notes on Codes and Abbrevialions" áppearing at íhe begiti- FR. GB, GR, HU, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, nitig ofeach regular issue of the PCT Gazette SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CL CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Published: - without intemalional search repon and to be republished upon receipt of the repon SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO MODIFY THE PATTERNS OF ANTENNA RADIATION OF THE PERIPHERAL BASE STATIONS OF AN TERRESTRIAL NETWORK TO ALLOW THE REDUCTION OF INTERFERENCE RELATED REQUESTS This application claims the benefit of: Provisional Application No. 60 / 490,638, filed July 28, 2003, entitled Systems and Methods for Modifying Antenna Radiation Patterns of Peripheral Base Stations of an Ancillary Terrestrial Component to Allow Reduced Interference, as well as Provisional Application No. 60 / 492,710, filed on August 5, 2003, entitled Additional Systems and Methods for Modifying Antenna Radiation Patterns of Peripheral Base Stations of Ancillary Terrestrial Component to Allow Reduced Interference. Both of the aforesaid provisional patent applications are assigned to the assignee of the present application and the descriptions of both of the aforementioned provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if they were fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to systems and methods of wireless communication and, more particularly, to systems and methods of terrestrial cellular communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Systems and methods of satellite radiotelephone communication are widely used for radiotelephone communication. Systems and methods of satellite radiotelephone communication generally employ at least one space-based component, such as one or more satellites that are configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of satellite radiotelephones. A system or method of satellite radiotelephone communication can use a single antenna beam that covers a complete area served by the system. Alternatively, in systems and methods of cellular satellite radiotelephone communication, multiple beams are provided, each of which can serve different geographic areas in the general service region, in order to collectively attend to a general satellite footprint.

Therefore, a cellular architecture similar to that used in conventional terrestrial cellular radiotelephone systems and methods in satellite-based cellular systems and systems can be implemented.

Generally, the satellite communicates with radiotelephones through a bidirectional communication route, with the radiotelephone communication signals communicating from the satellite to the radiotelephone through a downlink or direct link, as well as from the radiotelephone to the satellite through a radio link. uplink or return link. The general design and operation of cellular satellite radiotelephone systems and methods are well known to the person skilled in the art and need not be further described herein. In addition, as used herein, the term "radiotelephone" includes satellite and / or cellular radiotelephones with or without a multi-line display; Personal Communication System (PCS) terminals that can combine a radiotelephone with data processing, facsimile and / or data communication capabilities; Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that can include a radio frequency transceiver and a locator, Internet and / or intranet access, Web Finder, organizer, calendar and / or a positioning system receiver global (GPS, for its acronym in English); and / or laptops and / or small-sized computers or other devices, which include a radio frequency transceiver. Radiotelephones can also be referred to herein as "radioterminals" or simply "terminals". As is well known to the person skilled in the art, terrestrial networks can improve the availability, efficiency and / or economic viability of cellular satellite radiotelephone systems by reusing terrestrial at least some of the frequency bands that are assigned to radiotelephone systems cellular satellites. In particular, it is known that it can be difficult for cellular satellite radiotelephone systems to reliably serve densely populated areas, since the satellite signal can be blocked by high-rise structures and / or may not penetrate buildings. As a result, the satellite band spectrum may be underused or not used in those areas. The use of terrestrial retransmission of all or part of the satellite band frequencies can reduce or eliminate this problem. In addition, the capacity of the general system can be increased considerably by introducing terrestrial retransmission, since the reuse of the terrestrial frequency can be much denser than that of an exclusively satellite system. In fact, capacity can be increased where more could be required, ie in and / or close to densely populated, industrial and / or commercial urban areas. As a result, the general system may become much more viable from the economic point of view, since it may be able to serve a much larger subscriber base. Finally, satellite radiotelephones for a satellite radiotelephone system that has a terrestrial component within the same satellite frequency band and that basically uses the same air interface for both terrestrial and satellite communication, can be more profitable and / or attractive from the point of view. of aesthetic sight.

Conventional dual-band and / or dual-mode alternatives, such as the well-known dual-mode terrestrial and / or satellite systems Thuraya, Iridium and / or Giobaistar, can duplicate some components, which can lead to higher cost, size and / or weight of the radiotelephone. U.S. Patent No. 6,684,057, issued on January 27 of 2004, for the inventor of the present Karabinis, and entitled Systems and Methods for Terrestrial Reuse of Cellular Satellite Frequency Spectrum, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as fully set forth herein, describes that a satellite radiotelephone frequency can be reused by an auxiliary terrestrial network even within the same satellite cell, using interference cancellation techniques. In particular, the satellite radio system in accordance with some embodiments of U.S. Patent No. 6,684,057 includes a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a first radiotelephone in a satellite footprint through a radio frequency band. satellite radiotelephone frequency, as well as an auxiliary terrestrial network that is configured to receive wireless communications from a second radiotelephone in the satellite footprint through the satellite radiotelephone frequency band. The space-based component also receives wireless communications from the second radiotelephone in the satellite footprint through the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference, together with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephone in the satellite footprint through the satellite radiotelephone frequency band. An interference reducer is responsive in relation to the space-based component and the auxiliary terrestrial network that is configured to reduce the interference of the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephone in the satellite footprint through the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using the wireless communications that are received by the auxiliary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephone in the satellite footprint through the satellite radiotelephone frequency band. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0054761 A1, published March 20, 2003, for the inventor of the present Karabinis and entitled Spatial Guardbands for Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. the present by reference in its entirety as set forth in full herein, discloses satellite radiotelephone systems that include a space-based component that is configured to provide wireless radiotelephone communication in a satellite footprint through a satellite radiotelephone frequency band . The satellite footprint is divided into a plurality of satellite cells, where the radiotelephone satellite frequencies of the satellite radiotelephone frequency band are spatially reused. An auxiliary terrestrial network is configured to terrestrially reuse at least one of the auxiliary radiotelephone frequencies that are used in a satellite cell in the satellite footprint, outside the cell and, in some embodiments, separated from that location by a band of space guard. The space guard band may be large enough to reduce or avoid interference between at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies used in the satellite cell in the satellite footprint, as well as at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies which is used terrestrially outside the satellite cell and separated from that place by the space guard band. The space guard band can be about half the radius of a satellite cell in width. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003 / 0054815A1, published March 20, 2003 for the inventor of the present Karabinis, and entitled Methods and Systems for Modifying Satellite Antenna Cell Patterns in Response to Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as set forth in full herein, it describes that space-based wireless radiotelephone communication is provided in a satellite footprint through a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. The satellite footprint is divided into satellite cells where the radiotelephone satellite frequencies of the satellite radiotelephone frequency band are spatially reused. At least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies that is assigned to a satellite cell determined in the satellite footprint is reused terrestrially outside the determined satellite cell. A radiation pattern of at least the determined satellite cell is modified to reduce interference with at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies that is used terrestrially outside the determined satellite cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a communication system may include a terrestrial network having a plurality of base stations that provide communication service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations that provide communications service for the radioterminals in an interior portion of the land network coverage area and peripheral base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one of the peripheral base stations may provide transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a power greater than the transmissions directed away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. Peripheral base stations and / or indoor base stations can define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. In addition, the perimeter can be closed by surrounding interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one of the indoor base stations may define a plurality of sectors surrounding the inner base station (s) and the transmissions may be directed from the indoor base station (s) to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360-degree pattern that surrounds the interior base station. At least one peripheral base station may define a plurality of sectors surrounding the peripheral base station (s) and the peripheral base station (s) may provide transmissions to at least one sector with a direction substantially toward an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with greater power than towards another sector with a direction substantially far from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. At least one peripheral base station (s) may include directional transmission antenna (s) for sector (s) with direction primarily toward interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, but not for the sector (s) with direction basically far from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one peripheral base station (s) may include directional receiving antenna (s) with address to at least one of the sectors surrounding the peripheral base station (s). In addition, at least one peripheral base station (s) may have fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns than at least one indoor base station. The communication system can also include a second terrestrial network having a second plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the terrestrial network, as well as a region without service can separate the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial network. Accordingly, the communications services may not be provided by base stations of either the first or the second terrestrial networks in the region without service. In addition, the communication system may include a space-based network that includes at least one satellite. The space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area, using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band, while the space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a second area of satellite coverage, using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band. In addition, at least a portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found within the first satellite coverage area and a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found outside the second satellite coverage area. In addition, at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network may provide communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and at least one of the base stations may not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals that they receive communications from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. The space-based network can transmit communications to radioterminal in the first satellite coverage area, using the first frequency, while the space-based network can transmit communications to radioteleminals in the second satellite coverage area, using the second frequency. In addition, at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network can transmit communications using the second frequency. In addition, the space-based network can receive communications from the radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area, using at least a third frequency. The space-based network can receive communications from the radioterminal in the second satellite coverage area, using at least a fourth frequency, at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network can receive communications using the fourth frequency and by at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network may not receive communications from the radioterminals that receive communications from the base stations of the terrestrial network, using the third frequency.

The terrestrial network may also include a plurality of receive-only base stations configured to receive communications of radioterminal in the peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. Accordingly, the communication service for a radio terminal can be provided by a base station exclusively receiving receiving communications from the radio terminal and by another base station transmitting communications to the radio terminal. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, a communication system may include a terrestrial network, which has a plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one of the peripheral base stations can be a base station exclusively for reception that does not transmit. The peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations may define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, such that the interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. In addition, the perimeter can be closed surrounding the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one indoor base station (s) may define a plurality of sectors surrounding the inner base station (s) and the transmissions may be directed from at least one station (s) inner base (s) to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds at least one inner base station (s). At least one peripheral base station (s) may define a plurality of sectors surrounding the peripheral base station (s) and at least one peripheral base station (s) may include Directional reception antenna (s) for at least one of the sectors. The communication system may also include a second terrestrial network having a second plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, a region without service can separate the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial networks, so that the communications services are not provided by base stations neither of the first nor the second terrestrial networks in the region without service. In addition, the communication system may also include a space-based network that has at least one satellite. The space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band, while the space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band. In addition, at least a portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found within the first satellite coverage area, while a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found outside the second satellite coverage area. In addition, at least one of the base stations can provide communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band, while at least one of the base stations may not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals receiving communications. from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. The space-based network can transmit communications to radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using the first frequency, while the space-based network can transmit communications to the radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using the second frequency . In addition, at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network can transmit communications using the second frequency. The space-based network can receive communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using at least a third frequency, while the space-based network can receive communications from radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using at least a fourth frequency. In addition, at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network can receive communications using the fourth frequency, while at least one of the base stations of the terrestrial network may not receive communications, from the radioterminals receiving communications from the stations base, using the third frequency. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, a communication system may include a terrestrial network having a plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, at least one of the peripheral base stations may be basically disabled to transmit away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. Peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations can define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other Perimeter side. In addition, the perimeter can be closed by surrounding interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. At least one of the peripheral base stations may have fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one of the indoor base stations. In addition, at least one of the indoor base stations may transmit and receive communications and at least one of the peripheral base stations may be an exclusively receiving peripheral base station. The communication system may also include a second terrestrial network having a second plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, a region without service can separate the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas, so that communications services may not be provided by the base stations or the first or the second terrestrial networks in the non-service region. . The communication system may also include a space-based network that has at least one satellite. The space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band, while the space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band. At least a portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found within the first satellite coverage area and a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be found outside the second satellite coverage area. further, at least one of the base stations can provide communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and at least one of the base stations may not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals receiving communications from the stations base, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. At least one of the peripheral base stations can provide transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a higher power than the transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. At least one of the peripheral base stations may be a base station exclusively for reception that does not transmit. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, methods for providing communications for radioterminals may include providing communication service for radioterminals in an interior portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using indoor base stations. The communications service may be provided for radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network using peripheral base stations. More particularly, at least one of the peripheral base stations can provide transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a higher power than the transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, methods for providing communications for radioterminals can include providing the communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of indoor base stations. The communications service may be provided for radioterminal in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is an exclusively receiving base station that does not transmit . In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, methods for providing communications for radioterminals may include providing communications for radioterminals in an interior portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of indoor base stations. Communications can be provided for radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is basically disabled for transmission away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network.

In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, a communication system may include a plurality of interior downlink transmitters configured to transmit communications to radioterminals located in interior portions of a coverage area of the terrestrial network. A plurality of interior uplink receivers can be configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, a plurality of peripheral uplink receivers can be configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in a peripheral region of the coverage area of the terrestrial network adjacent to the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, wherein at least one portion of the peripheral region lies outside of a projected coverage area of any downlink transmitter of the communication system. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a Auxiliary Terrestrial Component (ATC) that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radioterminals using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency through an ATC service area. The ATC includes a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of radioterminals using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency. The plurality of base stations includes at least one indoor base station that is located in an interior portion of the ATC Service Area and at least one peripheral base station that is located at a periphery of the ATC service area. In some embodiments, at least one peripheral base station has fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one indoor base station. In other embodiments, at least one indoor base station is at least one indoor transmitting and receiving base station and the ATC additionally includes at least one exclusively receiving peripheral base station. Therefore, systems and methods are provided to modify the antenna radiation patterns of peripheral base stations of an Auxiliary Terrestrial Component, in comparison with indoor base stations, to allow for the reduction of interference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating portions of a terrestrial network in accordance with the first embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating portions of a terrestrial network in accordance with the second embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a terrestrial network in accordance with the third embodiments of the present invention. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating satellite and terrestrial communication networks that share a satellite frequency band in accordance with the fourth embodiments of the present invention. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a terrestrial network in accordance with the fifth embodiments of the present invention. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating satellite and terrestrial communication networks that share a satellite frequency band in accordance with the sixth embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein embodiments of the invention are shown. However, this invention can take very different modalities in form and should not be construed as limited to the modalities set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided so that this description is complete and thorough and fully conveys the scope of the invention to one skilled in the art. Similar numbers refer to similar elements throughout it.It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. are used in the present to describe different elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish an element or modality from another element or modality. Therefore, a first element or modality of those listed below could be named as a second element or modality and, similarly, a second element or modality could be named as a first element or modality, without deviating from the teachings of the present invention. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes each and every one or more of the associated enumerated elements. Furthermore, as used herein, "basically equal" band means that the bands basically overlap, but that there may be some areas without overlap, for example at the band ends. In addition, aerial interface (s) "basically equal (s)" means that the air interfaces are similar, but they are not required to be identical. Some changes can be made to an air interface (ie, a satellite air interface) with respect to another (ie, a terrestrial air interface) to account for different characteristics that may exist between terrestrial and satellite communication environments. For example, a different sound modifier speed may be used for satellite communications, as compared to the speed of the sound modifier apparatus that may be used for terrestrial communications (i.e., for terrestrial communications, the voice may be compressed (" be modified in terms of sound ") at approximately 9 to 13 bps, while for satellite communications, for example, a sound modifier speed of 2 to 4 kbps can be used). In addition or alternatively, a different direct error correction coding, a different depth of interleaving and / or different propagation spectrum codes may be used, for example, for satellite communications, as compared to coding, interlacing depth and / or propagation spectrum codes (ie, Walsh codes, long codes and / or frequency hopping codes) that can be used for terrestrial communications. Also, as used herein, a "basically south" or "substantially north" address means an address that includes a component in a south or north direction respectively. For example, a direction to the south-west can be an address basically to the south. Satellite systems that can operate in co-frequency (also called co-channel) with at least some frequencies of a satellite system that contains an Auxiliary Terrestrial Component (ATC), can receive co-frequency (co-channel) interference the co-frequency operations (co-channel) of the ATC. To reduce the level of co-frequency (co-channel) interference that can be generated by an ATC, the ATC base stations can be designed with X dB (eg, 18 dB) of building penetration signal margin, for example , X dB signal margin of return bond of penetration in building. This signal margin can enable an ATC radioterminal (i.e., a radio terminal that is communicating with an ATC) to operate even when subjected to X dB structural signal attenuation and can also facilitate a reduction in the signal strength of the signal. output of the radioterminal when the radioterminal is undergoing less than X dB of structural signal attenuation. At the limit, since the radioterminal is not being subjected to any structural signal attenuation (the radioterminal is completely clear), the signal power that the radioterminal can emit to communicate with a base station can be reduced as much as X dB (eg , 18 dB) with respect to the maximum. This can reduce the level of interference that can be detected by a satellite co-frequency (co-channel) system. As used in this, the term Auxiliary Terrestrial Component (ATC) may refer to one or more ground base stations in a terrestrial base station network that provides communications services for radioterminals through a terrestrial network coverage area (also called ATC service area). For example, the term "Auxiliary Terrestrial Component" may refer to a single land base station, with a plurality of said terrestrial base stations that provide service for radioterminals through a coverage area of a terrestrial network (also called Auxiliary Terrestrial Network (ATN, for its acronym in English)).

Cellular and PCS systems are routinely deployed in urban areas with significant signal penetration margins in buildings, which generally range between 15 and 20 dB. Designing an ATC with X db (e.g., 18 dB) of structural attenuation signal margin can be achieved using one of a plurality of established statistical design methodologies that are known to the person skilled in the art. In accordance with an example of one of these design methodologies and as an initial step, the link budget of a base station, as well as the corresponding radio-terminal equipment, can be calculated and balanced, bidirectionally, taking as a part or all of the parameters of base stations, radioterminal and / or propagation environments such as the maximum Effective Isotropic Irradiated Power (EIRP) of the base station and the radioterminal equipment, the appropriate propagation factor for the environment ATC, signal attenuation due to multipath fading, base station and radio terminal receiving sensitivities, radioterminal antenna and / or base station gain and diversity reception gain factor, etc., including a loss of X dB signal (eg, 18 dB) due to structural attenuation. The bidirectionally balanced link budget can identify an estimate of the service radius of a base station. At this service radius, a radioterminal can communicate with a base station, with some probability of success, subject to the assumed values of link budget parameters and propagation failures, including the effect of one or more signal attenuation structures which can, as a whole, impose X dB (eg, 18 dB) of additional signal attenuation beyond that imposed by the propagation loss (as defined by, for example, the conventional Cost 231-Hata model) and loss of fading by multitrayectoria. It follows that, when a radioterminal is not subject to any attenuation signal structure, it can, subject to closed circuit power control, emit a reduced signal power level with an average of X dB (eg, 18 dB) lower than its maximum. An ATC service area can comprise a set of ATC base stations that can be designed and deployed based on the above design principles. In such an environment, as an active radioterminal migrates from one ATC base station service area to another, the system may continue to provide service to the radio terminal through an ATC base station that can nominally provide the highest quality and / or signal strength to that radioterminal. As such, a radioterminal that is transiting from the service area of one ATC base station to another and is operating outside the influence of any signal attenuation structure can, on average, continue to emit at a reduced signal power level of X dB (eg, 18 dB) less than its maximum. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in the vicinity of a perimeter of an ATC service area, the ATC can be configured to reduce, completely prevent and / or substantially minimize servicing of radioterminals that may be found beyond the service area. projected from a base station and, therefore, can emit a higher power level. In accordance with some embodiments, this can be achieved by configuring and / or orienting the antenna elements of a base station to substantially illuminate only certain directions that, in accordance with a link budget, can satisfy the attenuation signal margin configuration design. X dB structural (eg, 18 dB) of an ATC. Therefore, for example, at least one ATC base station near a perimeter of an ATC service area can be configured with a reduced (smaller) number of sectors, reduced (smaller) antenna elements and / or different antenna elements and, therefore, may not be able to provide service in at least one direction, basically for the same radius as in another direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, an ATC includes a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radioterminals using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency. The plurality of base stations includes at least one indoor base station 10, which is located on an interior portion of the ATC service area, and at least one peripheral base station 20 that is located on a perimeter 30 of the ATC service area. As shown in Figure 1, 'at least one peripheral base station 20 has fewer sectors, fewer antenna elements, different antenna elements and / or different gain patterns to at least one indoor base station 10. For example, as shown in Figure 1, at least part of the indoor base stations 10 have a complete 360 ° coverage using, for example, three sectors, while at least one of the peripheral base stations 20 has a reduced number of sectors, as one or two sectors. The person skilled in the art will understand that, although Figure 1 describes a single row of peripheral base stations 20 adjacent to the perimeter 30 of the ATC service area, more than one row of peripheral base stations can be provided. It will also be understood that, in some embodiments, only a single sector may be provided for the perimeter base stations 20. In other embodiments, a complete set of sectors may be provided, such as three sectors, with reduced numbers of antenna elements, antenna gain reduced and / or reduced EIRP in one or more of the sectors, compared to the indoor base stations 10. Combinations of these modalities may also be provided. In addition, each peripheral base station does not need to include the same (reduced) number of sectors and / or antenna elements and not all of the peripheral base stations 20 need to include fewer sectors, fewer antenna elements, different antenna elements and / or an EIRP different (reduced). In some embodiments, the perimeter base stations 20 may communicate with an indoor base station 10. In other embodiments, the peripheral base stations 20 may communicate with an ATC Infrastructure.

In still further embodiments of the present invention, instead of or in conjunction with the ATC configuration of Figure 1, at least one reception-only base station can be provided close to a perimeter of an ATC footprint, which may have been designed in accordance with an inclusive link budget of X dB (eg, 18 dB) of structural signal attenuation, so as to keep the emissions of a radio terminal basically in accordance with a reduced power level criterion, as the radio terminal continues to operate outside of the designed service footprint of the ATC. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, at least one peripheral ATC base station can be an exclusively reception base station 40, which can include the same number of sectors and / or receive antenna elements such as base stations ATC 10 or, as shown in Figure 2, may include fewer sectors, fewer antenna receiving elements and / or different antenna receiving elements, compared to the indoor ATC base stations 10. It will also be understood that, as with the peripheral base stations 20 of reduced sectors and / or of reduced antenna elements of Figure 1, the exclusively receiving base stations 40 of Figure 2 need not be identical in their number of sectors and / or antenna elements, and may more than one row of reception-only base stations 40 is provided. In addition, at least some of the reception-only base stations 40 can communicate with one station internal ATC base 10 adjacent or not adjacent or can communicate with the ATC infrastructure. In addition, combinations of the peripheral base stations 20 and 40 of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be provided in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention provide a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radioterminals using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency. The plurality of base stations includes at least one indoor base station that is located in an interior portion of the ATC service area and at least one peripheral base station that is located at a periphery of the ATC service area. At least one peripheral base station has fewer sectors, fewer antenna elements, different antenna elements, different gain patterns and / or an EIRP other than at least one indoor base station. In other embodiments, at least one indoor base station is at least one indoor transmitting and receiving base station, while the ATC additionally includes at least one exclusively receiving peripheral base station. Other embodiments of the present invention can configure at least one peripheral base station 20 of an ATC, on the perimeter or edges 30 of an ATC service area, to reduce or avoid serving radioterminals that are beyond their service footprint. projected This can be achieved in a number of ways, including orienting some sectors of the base stations to illuminate areas that are within the ATC service footprint, while disabling other sectors that can illuminate areas far away from the service footprint. ATC. These disabled sectors can be configured as exclusively receiving sectors. In some embodiments, the signals that are received in an exclusively receiver sector can also be received by at least some other transmitter and receiver sector and can be combined, using conventional techniques. As such, a radioterminal that can be bypassing away from the central ATC service footprint, while still communicating with a receiving base station in the side lobes of a enabled sector, can transmit back to that base station through the lobe principal (or basically through the main lobe) of a sector exclusively receiver that is oriented towards it. In this configuration, the direct link to the radioterminal will generally be a much weaker link than the return link and the service for that radioteleral will generally end because of the "break" of the direct link before the radio terminal is at a distance that may require that it emit a maximum power or close to the maximum. Therefore, a steep reduction in the direct link signal strength of the base station can be established on one edge of an ATC service area by reasonably configuring the sectors of the base stations 20 that are on or near the edge.

The forward-back ratio of EIRP of an ATC base station antenna can be, with respect to the ATC rules, of approximately 25 dB (see 47 CFR 25.253 (e)). Therefore, a base station that is located on (or near) the edge of an ATC service footprint may have at least one of its sectors (generally three) disabled to transmit. In other words, the sector (s) that point away from the ATC service footprint can be disabled in relation to its ability to transmit. For said base station, a user who is in an unattended area (an area that would have been served by one of the sectors disabled to transmit) will generally experience a significant direct link signal attenuation (of the order of 25 dB) with respect to a user who is at the same distance from the tower of the base station and within a sector enabled to transmit. With a direct link disadvantage of approximately 25 dB, the service radius of the base station in the direction of an exclusively receiver sector can be reduced to less than two tenths of what would otherwise have been. From this it follows that, in some embodiments, a radioterminal that is within a purely receiver sector and outside the influence of any signal attenuation structure can emit, subject to a closed loop power control, approximately 25 dB less of what it would have emitted on the edge of an ATC sector designed symmetrically. In accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 3, a terrestrial communication network 100 may include a plurality of indoor and peripheral base stations 110a-h and 120a-o, respectively, that provide the communications service for radioterminal 150 through a coverage area of the terrestrial network. The indoor base stations 110 provide the communications service for radioterminals 150 in an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, while the peripheral base stations 120 provide the communication service for radioterminals in peripheral portions of the coverage area of the network land. More particularly, at least one of the peripheral base stations 120 can provide transmissions directed toward an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with higher EIRP (power) than the transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. For example, at least one of the peripheral base stations may have fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmitting antenna elements and / or receivers and / or different transmission and / or reception gain patterns and / or parameters to at least one of the indoor base stations. More particularly, at least one inner base station (s) 110 may (s) define a plurality of sectors surrounding the inner base station and at least one inner base station (s) 110 may direct transmissions to all sectors surrounding the respective internal base station (s), so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the station (s) respective inner base (s). For example, one of the indoor base stations may include directional transmit antennas configured to provide transmissions through a sector of 120 degrees, while the base station may include at least three of said directional antennas, so that the transmissions are directed through the three sectors of 120 degrees to cover a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the base station. In addition or alternatively, one or more interior base stations 110 may include directional antennae and / or directional antennas. At least one of the indoor base stations may also be configured so that the transmissions are directed to a pattern of less than 360 degrees surrounding the at least one indoor base station. The sectors and / or transmission patterns are not shown for the indoor base stations 110 of Figure 3 for purposes of clarity. As described above, at least one of the peripheral base stations 120 can provide transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with higher EIRP (power) than the transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network . More particularly, at least one of the peripheral base stations may include one or more directional transmit antennas, each providing transmissions to a sector, such as a sector of 120 degrees. In addition, the directional transmitting antenna (s) in a peripheral base station 120 may be oriented so that transmissions from the peripheral base station 120 are directed through a sector (or sectors) oriented ( s) basically towards the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with higher EIRP (power) than with that directed through a sector (or sectors) oriented basically away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. By way of example, the peripheral base stations 120 may include, respectively, one or more directional transmit antennas configured to provide transmissions to a respective transmitter sector of 120 degrees 121a-o or 122c or 122n. In the example of Figure 3, for the base stations 120a-b, 120d-m and 120o, one or more directional transmit antennas in each base station can be configured to provide transmissions to radioterminals in a single respective sector of 120 degrees 121 ab, 121d -my 120th In addition, for the base stations 120c and 120n, the directional transmit antennas in each base station can be configured to provide transmissions to radioterminals in two respective sectors of 120 degrees 121c, 122c, 121n and 122n. Accordingly, the peripheral base stations 120a-o may define a perimeter 125 (illustrated with the stitch line of Figure 3) of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, such that the indoor base stations 110 are located on one side of the perimeter 125 and not on the other side of the perimeter 125. As the dashed line of Figure 3 illustrates, the perimeter 125 can basically follow boundaries of the sectors to which the peripheral base stations 120 transmit. The transmission sectors of the peripheral base stations may define the peripheral portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, while the areas surrounded by the peripheral portions may define the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In addition, the peripheral base stations 120a-o may include directional receiving antennas defining receiver sectors of coverage that extend in a complete 360-degree pattern surrounding each of the peripheral base stations. For example, the peripheral base stations 120a-b, 120d-m and 120o may include directional transmit antennas that basically transmit to a single respective sector of 120 degrees 121 ab, 121d-m and 121o, without transmitting basically to sectors covering the remaining 240 degrees that surround the base station. Similarly, the peripheral base stations 120c and 120n can include directional transmit antennas that basically transmit to two sectors of 120 degrees, without transmitting basically to the remaining 120 degree sector surrounding the base station. However, the peripheral base stations may include directional receiving antennas configured to receive communications from radioterminals in sectors 121a-o and 122c and 122n, to which they transmit the peripheral base stations, as well as directional receiving antennas configured to receive communications from radioterminal in sectors to which the peripheral base stations basically do not transmit. In addition or alternatively, one or more of the peripheral base stations may include one or more directional receiving antenna (s).

Accordingly, the indoor and outdoor base stations 110 and 120 can provide communications services for the radioterminals in a coverage area and / or sector thereof using, for example, architectures and / or air interface protocols such as multiple access / frequency division multiplexing (FDM / FDMA), multiple access / time division multiplexing (TDM / TDMA), multiple access / code division multiplexing (CDM / CDMA) , for its acronym in English) and / or orthogonal frequency division multiplex access / multiple access (OFDM / OFDMA, for its acronym in English). In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial communication network 100 may employ frequency reuse and / or propagation code reuse pattern to increase frequency and / or capacity usage efficiency and / or reduce interference. For example, each base station may have a relatively small sector and / or coverage area and the base stations and / or adjacent sectors may use different frequencies and / or propagation codes to reduce interference therebetween. Communications for a 150th radioterminal in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area can be provided by an indoor base station 110c, as illustrated in Figure 3. Since the radioterminal 150a changes its position within the coverage area of the terrestrial network during a communication such as a radiotelephone conversation, the communications services for the radio terminal 150a can be supplied from one sector of the base station 110c to another sector of the base station 110c and / or to sectors of the other indoor or peripheral base stations. Communications for a radioterminal 150b in the peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be provided by a peripheral base station 120g. Since radioterminal 150b is located in sector 121g, to which the transmitting and receiving antennas of the base station 120g are directed, communications can be provided for the radioterminal 150b within sector 121g. In addition, communication services for the radioterminal 150b can be supplied from the base station 120g to an adjacent indoor or peripheral base station, if the radioterminal 150b is moved from the sector 121g to a sector of another base station. As shown in Figure 3, the sectors of the peripheral base stations may appear to have fixed boundaries defined by the transmission sectors of the respective transmit antennas. However, as will be understood, the side lobes of the radiation patterns generated by the directional transmit antennas of the peripheral base stations may have sufficient power to support acceptable link transmissions towards a radioterminal 150c outside the perimeter 125 of the area of coverage of the terrestrial network and outside the sector 121f of the peripheral base station 120f. As described above, the peripheral base station 120f can include receiving antennas which can, for example, be directional, supporting the reception of robust communication link from the external sector of the mobile terminal 121f. Accordingly, the communication service for the radioterminal 150c can initially be provided by the base station 120f within the sector 121f, but the radioerminal 150c can then move out of the sector 121f and away from the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the downlink transmissions from the base station 120f to the radio terminal 150c may continue to be provided by the directional antenna (s) serving the sector 121f and the quality of the Downlink communications received by the radioterminal 150c can deteriorate rapidly. However, a relatively high quality of the uplink communications received by the base station 120f from the radioterminal 150c, it can be maintained as the radioterminal 150c moves out of the sector 121f, since the base station 120f includes receiving antennas that cover a complete 360 degree pattern surrounding the base station 120f. Accordingly, the communications service for the radioterminal 150c will be more likely to come to an end due to the deterioration in the downlink from the peripheral base station 120f to the radio terminal, before there is a significant deterioration in the uplink from the radioterminal 150c to the base station 120f which may cause the radio-terminal to emit at or near the maximum power.

By providing sectors outside the perimeter 125 where a peripheral base station can receive, through operational antennas in these sectors, communications from a radio terminal without transmitting communications to the radio terminal through operational antennas in these sectors, communications with the radio terminal can be terminated without causing the radioterminal to increase its transmitting power to a maximum or near a maximum before termination. More particularly, in a closed-circuit power control system, the base station may request that the radio-terminal increase its transmission power as the intensity and / or quality of the communications signal received by the base station is reduced and, similarly, the radioterminal may request that the base station increase its transmit power as the intensity and / or quality of the communications signal received by the radioterminal is reduced. Once the radioterminal 150c is moved out of the 121f, a measurement of the intensity and / or quality of the transmissions from the base station outside the sector 121f can be reduced due to the directional nature of the transmitting antenna (s) ( s) of the base station and due to the limited maximum capacity of EIRP (power) of the base station. However, the base station may not request any increase or any significant increase in power to the radioterminal, since at least one receiving antenna of the base station is directed outside the perimeter 125. To further increase the available return link margin between a radioterminal and a base station and, therefore, further reduce the transmitting power of a radioterminal, at least one antenna subsystem of an indoor and / or peripheral base station can be configured to receive in more than one spatial orientation. As in a vertical and horizontal orientation (reception of polarization diversity) and, in addition or alternatively, it can also be configured with more than one spatially different element (reception of spatial diversity). In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, one or more of the peripheral base stations 120a-o may be located close to an airport, a navigable waterway or another region that is likely to include satellite communication terminals that can communicate with a satellite . For example, one or more peripheral base stations 120a-o may be located near an airport border with at least one transmitter sector of the peripheral base station (s) near the border of the airport. airport that is heading outside or basically outside the airport and / or that has a reduced EIRP with respect to other sectors. An area close to an airport can also be served by configuring at least one base station having at least one transmitter sector whose antenna is oriented to point and / or emit basically in a southward direction. Providing the communications service to an area close to an airport with at least one base station sector that is oriented to point and / or emit in a direction basically south, can increase and / or maximize antenna discrimination between a terminal satellite (which can also be operational with its antenna oriented in a direction basically south due to the location of an orbital space of a geostationary satellite) and the sector of the base station. (It will be understood that a base station sector that can provide the communications service to an area close to an airport that is located below the Earth's equator, can be oriented to point and / or emit basically in a northbound direction since , with respect to a satellite terminal located at or near the airport (below the Earth's equator), the orbital location of a geostationary satellite may be in a direction to the north or basically to the north). The at least one transmitting sector of the peripheral base station (s) near the airport that is directed far or substantially away from the airport and / or configured to broadcast basically in a southbound direction may have also a reduced EIRP value with respect to other sectors of the base station thereof or other base stations. At least one transmitting sector of the peripheral (s) and / or interior (s) station (s) nearby and / or distant to the airport, can also be configured with a Circularly Polarized Left (LHCP) antenna to further maximize a discrimination between the antenna systems of the at least one transmitting sector and a satellite terminal that is configured with a Circular Polarized receiving antenna Right (RHCP, for its acronym in English). Accordingly, interference with the satellite communication terminals (aeronautical or other) that may be operating at or near the airport, resulting from the transmissions of the base station, may be reduced or eliminated. Therefore, the indoor base stations may be located on a first side of the perimeter 125 and the peripheral base stations 120a-o may be located such that the airport is on a second side of the perimeter 125. In another example, one or more stations Peripheral bases 120a-o can be located next to a navigable waterway with at least one transmitter sector of the peripheral base station (s) close to the waterway that is navigating away or basically away from the track aquatic navigable and / or pointing in a direction to the south or basically to the south. Provide the communications service to an area close to a navigable waterway (in the northern hemisphere) with at least one sector of the base station that is oriented in a south or basically south direction and / or is configured to emit in an address to the south or basically to the south, can increase and / or maximize the antenna discrimination between a satellite terminal (which can also be operative with its antenna oriented in a basically south direction due to an orbital space location of a geostationary satellite ) and the base station sector. (It will be understood that a sector of the base station that can be providing the communications service to an area close to a waterway that is located below the Earth's equator (in the southern hemisphere) can be oriented to point and / or emit basically in a northbound direction since, with respect to a satellite terminal that is located on or near a waterway (below the Earth's equator), the satellite location of a geostationary satellite may be in a northbound direction or basically to the north). The at least one transmitter sector of the peripheral base station (s) close to the navigable waterway that is directed to emit far or substantially away from the navigable waterway and / or which is directed to emit in a south or basically south direction, it may also have a reduced EIRP value as compared to other sectors of the base station of the same or other base stations. At least one transmitter sector of the peripheral base station (s) and / or interior (s) proximate to and / or distant from the waterway may also be configured with a Polarized antenna. Circularly Left (LHCP) to further maximize a discrimination between the antenna systems of the at least one transmitter sector and a satellite terminal that is configured with a Circular Right Polarized antenna (RHCP). ). Accordingly, interference with satellite communication terminals in or near the navigable waterway that may be operative, for example, in boats and / or boats in the navigable waterway, resulting from the transmissions of the peripheral base station and / or interior, can be reduced or eliminated. Therefore, the interior base stations may be located on a first side of the perimeter 125 and the peripheral base stations 120a-o may be located such that the navigable waterway is on a second side of the perimeter 125.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the terrestrial network 100 may be auxiliary with respect to a communication network based on the space that provides radiotelephone communication using a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial network 100 can reuse at least one frequency of the satellite frequency band and the space-based communication network can provide communications for radioterminals outside the coverage area of the terrestrial network. Accordingly, as the radioterminal 150c moves away from the perimeter 125, communications with the radioterminal 150c can be supplied to the space-based network and / or to an alternate terrestrial communication network, such as a terrestrial communication network PCS and / or cellular. The sharing of the frequencies of a satellite frequency band, a space-based communication network and a terrestrial communication network is described, for example, in the following US Patent and US Patent Publications. Satellite radioterminal communication systems and methods that can employ terrestrial reuse of satellite frequencies are described, for example, in U.S. Patent 6,684,057 to Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Terrestrial Reuse of Cellular Satellite Frequency Spectrum and in Published Requests. U.S. Patent Nos. US 2003/0054760 to Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Terrestrial Reuse of Cellular Satellite Frequency Spectrum; US 2003/0054761 for Karabinis, entitled Spatial Guardbands for Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies; US 2003/0054814 to Karabinis et al., Entitled Systems and Methods for Monitoring Terrestrially Reused Satellite Frequencies to Reduce Potential Inter- lerence; US 2003/0073436 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Additional Systems and Methods for Monitoring Terrestrially Reused Satellite Frequencies to Reduce Potential Inter- lerence; US 2003/0054762 for Karabinis, entitled Multi-Band / Multi-Mode Satellite Radiotelephone Communications Systems and Methods; US 2003/0153267 for Karabinis, entitled Wireless Communications Systems and Methods Using Satellite-Linked Remote Terminal Interiace Subsystems; US 2003/0224785 for Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Reducing Satellite Feeder Link Bandwidth / Carriers in Cellular Satellite Systems; US 2002/0041575 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Coordinated Satellite-Terrestrial Frequency Reuse; US 2002/0090942 for Karabinis et al., Entitled "Integrated orAutonomous System and Method of Satellite-Terrestrial Frequency Reuse Using Signal Attenuation and / or Blockage," Dynamic Assignment of Frequencies and / or Hysteresis; US 2003/0068978 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Space-Based Network Architectures for Satellite Radiotelephone Systems; US 2003/0143949 for Karabinis, entitled Filters for Combined Radiotelephone / GPS Termináis; US2003 / 0153308 for Karabinis, entitled Staggered Sectorization for Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies; and US 2003/0054815 for Karabinis, entitled Methods and Systems for Modifying Satellite Antenna Cell Patterns in Response to Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies. All of the patents and patent publications referred to above are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and descriptions of all of these patents and patent publications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. as if they were completely established in the present. As shown in Figure 4, a plurality of terrestrial communication networks 100a-d (e.g., as described above with respect to Figure 3) may be separated by non-service regions, so communications services are not provided by the base stations of any of the terrestrial communication networks 100a-d in the regions without service. further, a space-based network including at least one satellite 210 can provide the communications service for radioterminals outside the coverage areas of the terrestrial communication networks 100a-d and within the satellite coverage areas 212a-e ( such as 150m-m radioterminals) using frequencies of a satellite frequency band. The frequencies of the satellite frequency band may be reused between the satellite coverage areas 212a-e so that, for example, the same frequencies of the satellite frequency band may not be reused to provide the communications service in satellite coverage areas that overlap. In addition, the frequencies of the satellite frequency band can be reused within terrestrial networks 100a-d so that, for example, the same frequencies may not be reused in a satellite coverage area and in a terrestrial network located in the area of satellite coverage. For example, the space-based network can provide communications service for the radioterminal in the 212a satellite coverage area (such as the 150i radioterminal) using at least a first frequency of the satellite frequency band, while the network Based on space, it can provide communications for the radioterminal in the 212b satellite coverage area (such as the 150m radioterminal) using a second frequency of the satellite frequency band. In addition, the terrestrial network 100d (or at least a portion thereof) is located within the first satellite coverage area 212a and the terrestrial network 100d is outside of the satellite coverage area 212b. Accordingly, at least one base station of the terrestrial network 100d can provide communications service for radioterminals in a coverage area thereof (such as the 150h radioterminal) using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and none of the the base stations of the terrestrial network 100d can provide communications service using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. Similarly, the base stations of the terrestrial networks 100a-b may provide communications service for radioterminals in a coverage area thereof (such as the radioterminals 150e-f) using frequencies of the satellite frequency band other than the frequencies used. by the space-based network to provide the communications service through a 212b satellite coverage area. In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial network 100c can provide communications service for radioterminals in a coverage area thereof (such as the 150g radioterminal) using frequencies of the satellite frequency band other than the frequencies used by the network based on the space to provide the communications service through a 212e satellite coverage area. More particularly, the satellite frequency band may include downlink frequencies and uplink frequencies. The downlink frequencies can be used by the base stations of the terrestrial network (s) and by the satellite (s) of the space-based network to transmit communications to the radioterminals. The uplink frequencies can be used by the base stations of the terrestrial network (s) and by the satellite (s) of the space-based network to receive communications from the radioterminals. Accordingly, the base stations of the terrestrial network (s) may (s) share a satellite frequency band with the space-based network, but the base stations of the network (s) (is) terrestrial (s) may not transmit on frequencies that are received by the network based on space. Accordingly, the base stations of the terrestrial networks that share frequencies of the satellite frequency band may not interfere with the frequencies received by the space-based network. For example, the space-based network can transmit communications to radioterminals in the satellite coverage area 212a using a first frequency of the satellite frequency band, the space-based network can transmit to the radioterminals in the satellite coverage area 212b using a second frequency of the satellite frequency band and at least one base station of the terrestrial network 100d can transmit communications using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band. Similarly, the space-based network can receive communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area 212a using a third frequency of the satellite frequency band and the space-based network can receive communications from radio terminals in the area of 212b satellite coverage using a fourth frequency of the satellite frequency band. In addition, at least one base station of the terrestrial network 100d can receive communications from radioterminals using the fourth frequency of the satellite frequency band and none of the base stations of the terrestrial network 100d can receive communications from radioterminals that are communicating with them. using the third frequency of the satellite frequency band (at least some of the base stations of the terrestrial network 100d may also be configured to receive communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area 212a using the third frequency of the satellite frequency band to communicate with the network based on space).

Therefore, a first radioterminal can transmit communications to a peripheral base station of the terrestrial network 100d using the fourth frequency and a second radioerminal in the satellite coverage area 212b can transmit to the network based on space using the fourth frequency. As described above with respect to Figure 3, communications between the first radioterminal and the terrestrial network can be terminated without increasing a transmitting power of the first radioterminal to a maximum level or near the maximum, since the peripheral base station provides transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network 100d with higher EIRP (power) than transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network 100d. Accordingly, the interference of the first radioterminal with the transmissions of the second radioterminal in the satellite coverage area 212b to the space-based network can be reduced. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 5, a terrestrial communication network 500 may include a plurality of indoor and peripheral base stations 510a-i and 520a-o that provide communications service for the. Radioterminales 550 through a coverage area of the terrestrial network. The indoor base stations 510 provide communications service (both by transmitting downlink communications to radioterminals and receiving uplink communications from radioterminals) for the radioterminals 550 in an interior portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. In contrast to this, the peripheral base stations 520 can only receive uplink communications from radio terminals. In other words, at least one of the peripheral base stations 520 can be an exclusively reception base station. More particularly, at least one of the indoor base stations 510 can define a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one indoor base station and the at least one indoor base station (s) 510 can (n) directing transmissions to all sectors surrounding the inner base station, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the respective indoor base station. For example, one of the indoor base stations may include directional transmit antennas configured to provide transmissions through a 120 degree sector and the base station (s) may include at least three such Directional antennas, so that the transmissions are directed through the sectors of 120 degrees to cover a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the base station. In addition or alternatively, one or more interior base stations 510 may include directional antennae and / or directional antennas. At least one of the indoor base stations may also be configured such that the transmissions are directed to a pattern of less than 360 degrees surrounding the at least one indoor base station. The complete sectors and / or transmission patterns are not shown for the indoor base stations 510 of Figure 5 for purposes of clarity. As described above, at least one of the peripheral base stations 520 can be an exclusively reception base station. More particularly, the peripheral base stations may include one or more receiving antennas that provide reception capability for at least one sector, such as a sector of 120 degrees. In addition, the receiving antenna (s) in a peripheral base station 520 may be oriented so that the reception for the peripheral base station 520 is directed through a sector oriented substantially toward the interior portions of the base station. coverage area of the terrestrial network with a greater sensitivity than when it is directed through a sector oriented basically away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. Alternatively, a peripheral base station 520 may include receiving antennas directed through two or more sectors oriented basically toward the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network and / or a peripheral base station 520 may include receiving antennas directed through a plurality of sectors covering a 360 degree pattern surrounding the peripheral base station 520. A projected boundary of the coverage areas of the indoor base stations 510 may define a perimeter 525 (illustrated with the dotted line of Figure 5) of the area of terrestrial network coverage, such that the inner base stations 510 are located on one side of the perimeter 525 and not on the other side of the perimeter 525. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the peripheral base stations may include one or more omniantenas directional receivers and / or one or more directional receiving antennas. Accordingly, the indoor and outdoor base stations 510 and 520 can provide communications services for radioterminals in a coverage area and / or sector thereof using, for example, multiplex access / frequency division multiplexing (FDM / FDMA). , for its acronym in English), multiple access / multiplexed time division (TDM / TDMA, for its acronym in English), multiple access architecture / multiplexing code division (CDM / CDMA, for its acronym in English) and / o orthogonal frequency division multiplex / access / multiplex (OFDM / OFDMA, for its acronym in English). In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial communication network 500 may employ a pattern of frequency reuse and / or propagation code reuse to increase efficiency of use of the frequency and / or capacity and / or reduce interference. For example, each base station may have a relatively small sector and / or coverage area and the base stations and / or adjacent sectors may use different frequencies and / or propagation codes to reduce the interference therebetween. The communications service for a radioterminal 550a in an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network can be provided by an indoor base station 510c, as illustrated in figure 5. Since the radioterminal 550a travels within the coverage area of the terrestrial network during a communication such as a radiotelephone conversation, the communications services for the radioterminal 550a can be supplied from a sector of the base station 510c to another sector of the base station 510c and / or to sectors of other indoor base stations and / or peripheral. More particularly, a downlink for transmissions to the radioterminal 510a and an uplink for the transmissions from the radioterminal can be provided by one or more indoor base stations, as long as the radioterminal is within a coverage area of one of the interior base stations. As shown in Figure 5, the projected coverage areas of the indoor base stations 510 may appear to have fixed boundaries defined by the transmission sectors of the respective transmit antennas. However, as will be understood, the radiation patterns generated by the transmitting antennas, such as by the transmit antennas of the inner base station 51 Og, may have sufficient power to support transmissions to a radioterminal 550b outside the perimeter 525 of the terrestrial network projected coverage area. As described above, the peripheral base station 520g can include receiving antennas that support robust communication link reception from the mobile terminal 550b outside the perimeter 525. Accordingly, the communications service for the radio terminal 550b can initially provided by the inner base station 51 Og, but the radio terminal 550b can then be moved out of the projected coverage area of the inner base station 51 Og, outside the 525 perimeter, as well as far from the terrestrial network projected coverage area. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, transmissions from the base station 51 Og to the radio terminal 550b may continue to be supplied by the transmitting antenna (s) of the inner base station 51 Og and the quality of the the communications received by the radioterminal 550b may deteriorate. However, relatively high quality of the communications received by the peripheral base station 520g from the radioterminal 550b can be maintained as the radioterminal 550b moves out of the projected coverage area of the inner base station 51Og. Accordingly, the communications service for the radioterminal 550b will be more likely to be terminated due to deterioration in the downlink from the inner base station 51 Og to the radio terminal 550b, before significant deterioration occurs in the link ascending from the radioterminal 550b to the base station .520g. (Alternatively, the base station 520g and the base station 51 Og can be configured to combine their corresponding receptions of a radioterminal, such as its receptions from the radio terminal 550b.) Accordingly, the downlink communications to the radioterminal 550b and the communications Uplink from the radioterminal can be provided using different base stations when the radioterminal 550b is outside the perimeter 525 of projected network ground service. By providing peripheral base stations exclusively for reception outside the perimeter 525 that can receive communications from a radio terminal, communications with the radio terminal can be terminated without causing the radio station to trip its transmitting power at a maximum level or close to a maximum level before the termination. More particularly, in a closed circuit power control system, a terrestrial network infrastructure such as, for example, a base station (or base stations) may request that the radioterminal increase its transmission power as the quality of the transmission is reduced. the communications received by the infrastructure (base station or base stations) and, similarly, the radio terminal may request that an infrastructure, such as a base station that provides communications information to the radio terminal, increase its transmission power, as that the quality of the communications received by the radioterminal is reduced. Once the radioterminal 550b is moved substantially outside the projected coverage area of the inner base station 51 Og, and since the EIRP (power) from the base station 51 Og can be limited to a predetermined maximum, the intensity measurement can be reduced and / or quality of the transmissions of the base station outside the projected coverage area of the same. However, an infrastructure of the terrestrial communication network such as the base station 51 Og, may not request any increase or any significant increase in power for transmissions from the radioterminal 550b that is outside the projected limit (s) of the network, since the receiving antennas from the base station 520g (and / or 51 Og) can be configured to cover the areas outside the perimeter 525 not covered by the transmitting and / or receiving antennas of the base station 51 Og, in accordance with the parameters and / or projected limits of the system. That is, for at least some areas outside the perimeter 525, the base station 51 Og by itself, without the aid of the peripheral base station 520g, might not provide X dB (i.e., 18 dB) of structural attenuation margin. return link. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, one or more of the peripheral base stations 520a-o may be located near an airport, a navigable waterway or other region likely to include satellite communication terminals. For example, one or more peripheral base stations 520a-o may be located near the border of an airport, with the peripheral base station (s) being located between one or more of the inner base stations 510a-i and the airport. Accordingly, interference with the satellite communication terminals in aircraft at the airport, resulting from the transmissions of the base station of the terrestrial network 500, can be reduced. Therefore, the indoor base stations 510a-i can be located on a first side of the perimeter 525, while the peripheral base stations 520a-o can be located such that the airport is on a second side of the perimeter 525. In addition, a or more of the peripheral base stations can be found between the perimeter 525 and the airport. In another example, one or more peripheral base stations 520a-o may be located close to a navigable waterway, with one or more of the peripheral base stations 520a-or being located between one or more of the inner base stations 51 Oa-i and the waterway. Accordingly, interference with the satellite communication terminals in boats and / or boats in navigable water, resulting from the transmissions of the base station of the terrestrial network 500, can be reduced. Therefore, the indoor base stations may be located on a first side of the perimeter 525, while the peripheral base stations 520a-o may be located so that the navigable waterway is on a second side of the perimeter 525. In addition, one or more than the peripheral base stations 520a-o may be found between the perimeter 525 and the waterway. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the terrestrial network 500 may be auxiliary with respect to the communication network based on the space providing radiotelephone communication using a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial network 500 can reuse at least one frequency of the satellite frequency band, while the space-based communication network can provide communications for radioterminals when it is outside the coverage area of the satellite. terrestrial network. Accordingly, as the radioterminal 550b moves outside the perimeter 525, communications with the radioterminal 550b may be provided to the space-based network and / or to an alternative terrestrial communication network, such as a communication network. terrestrial PCS and / or cellular. The sharing of frequencies of a satellite frequency band, a space-based communication network and a terrestrial communication network is described, for example, in the following US Patents and US patent publications. Systems and methods of communication of satellite radioterminals that can employ terrestrial reuse of satellite frequencies are described, for example, in US Patent 6,684,057 to Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Terrestrial Reuse of Cellular Satellite Frequency Spectrum; and U.S. Published Patent Applications Nos. US 2003/0054760 to Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Terrestrial Reuse of Cellular Satellite Frequency Spectrum; US 2003/0054761 for Karabinis, entitled Spatial Guardbands for Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies; US 2003/0054814 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Systems and Methods for Monitoring Terrestrially Reused Satellite Frequencies to Reduce Potential Interference; US 2003/0073436 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Additional Systems and Methods for Monitoring Terrestrially Reused Satellite Frequencies to Reduce Potential Interference; US 2003/0054762 for Karabinis, entitled Multi-Band / Multi-Mode Satellite Radiotelephone Communications Systems and Methods; US 2003/0153267 for Karabinis, 6 entitled Wireless Communications Systems and Methods Using Satellite-Linked Remote Terminal Interíace Subsystems; US 2003/0224785 for Karabinis, entitled Systems and Methods for Reducing Satellite Feeder Link Bandwidth / Carriers in Cellular Satellite Systems; US 2002/0041575 to Karabinis et al., Entitled Coordinated Satellite-Terrestrial Frequency Reuse; US 2002/0090942 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Integrated or Autonomous System and Method of Satellite-Terrestrial Frequency Reuse Using Signal Attenuation and / or Blockage, Dynamic Assignment of Frequencies and / or Hysteresis; US 2003/0068978 for Karabinis et al., Entitled Space-Based Network Architectures for Satellite Radiotelephone Systems; US 2003/0143949 for Karabinis, entitled Filters for Combined Radiotelephone / GPS Termináis; US 2003/0153308 for Karabinis, entitled Staggered Sectorization for Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies; and US 2003/0054815 for Karabinis, entitled Methods and Systems for Modifying Satellite Antenna Cell Patterns in Response to Terrestrial Reuse of Satellite Frequencies. All of the patents and patent publications referred to above are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the descriptions of all of these patents and patent publications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if will be completely established in the present. As shown in Figure 6, a plurality of terrestrial communication networks 500a-d (as described above with respect to Figure 5) may be separated by regions without service, so that communications services are not provided by the base stations of any of the terrestrial communication networks 500a-d in the regions without service. In addition, a space-based network that includes at least one 610 satellite can provide communications service for radioterminals outside the coverage areas of the terrestrial communication networks 500a-d and within the satellite coverage areas 612a-e ( as the radioterminals 550i-m) using frequencies of a satellite frequency band. The frequencies of the satellite frequency band can be reused between the satellite coverage areas 612a-e so that, for example, the same frequencies of the satellite frequency band are not reused to provide the communications service in areas of satellite coverage that overlap. In addition, the frequencies of the satellite frequency band can be reused within the terrestrial networks 500a-d so that, for example, the same frequencies are not reused in a satellite coverage area and in a terrestrial network located in the area of satellite coverage. For example, the space-based network can provide communications service for radioterminals in the 612a satellite coverage area (such as the 550i radio) using at least a first frequency of the satellite frequency band, while the base network in space, it can provide communications for the radioterminal in the 612b satellite coverage area (such as the 550m radioterminal) using a second frequency of the satellite frequency band.

In addition, the terrestrial network 500d (or at least a portion thereof) is within the first satellite coverage area 612a, while the 500d terrestrial network is outside the 612b satellite coverage area. Accordingly, at least one base station of the 500d terrestrial network can provide communications service for radioterminals in a coverage area thereof (such as the 550er radioterminal) using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and none of the the base stations of the 500d terrestrial network can provide communications service using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. Similarly, the base stations of terrestrial networks 500a-b can, for example, provide the communications service for the radioterminal in a coverage area of the same (such as the radioterminals 550e-f) using frequencies of the satellite frequency band other than the frequencies used by the base network in the space to provide the communications service through the satellite coverage area 612b. In addition, the base stations of the terrestrial network 500c can, for example, provide the communications service for the radioterminal in a coverage area thereof (such as the 550g radio-frequency) using frequencies of the satellite frequency band other than the frequencies used. by the space-based network to provide communications service through the 612e satellite coverage area. More particularly, the satellite frequency band may include downlink frequencies and uplink frequencies. The downlink frequencies can be used by the base stations of the terrestrial network (s) and by the satellite (s) of the space-based network to transmit communications to the radioterminals. The uplink frequencies can be used by the base stations of the terrestrial networks and by the satellite (s) of the space-based network to receive communications from the radioterminals. Accordingly, the base stations of the terrestrial networks may share a satellite frequency band with the space-based network, but the base stations of the terrestrial networks may, for example, not transmit on frequencies that are received by the network. network based on space. Accordingly, the base stations of the terrestrial networks that share frequencies of the satellite frequency band may not interfere with the frequencies received by the space-based network. For example, the space-based network can transmit communications to radioterminals in the area of satellite coverage 612a using a first frequency of the satellite frequency band, the space-based network can transmit to radio terminals in the satellite coverage area 612b using a second frequency of the satellite frequency band and at least one base station of the terrestrial network 500d can transmit communications using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band. Similarly, the space-based network can receive communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area 612a using a third frequency of the satellite frequency band and the space-based network can receive communications from radioterminals in the area of 612b satellite coverage using a fourth frequency of the satellite frequency band. In addition, at least one base station of the terrestrial network 500d can receive communications from radioterminals to which it is transmitting communications using the fourth frequency of the satellite frequency band and none of the base stations of the terrestrial network 500d can receive communications from radioterminals that are communicating with them using the third frequency of the satellite frequency band. (At least some of the base stations of the terrestrial network 500d may also be configured to receive communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area 612a using the third frequency of the satellite frequency band to communicate with the space-based network ). Therefore, a first radioterminal can transmit communications to a peripheral base station of the terrestrial network 500d using the fourth frequency and a second radioterminal in the satellite coverage area 612b can transmit to the network based on space using the fourth frequency. As described above with respect to Figure 5, communications between the first radioterminal and the terrestrial network can be terminated without increasing a transmitting power of the first radioterminal to a maximum level or near the maximum, as the exclusively receiving peripheral base station provides at least one receiving antenna directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network 500d, so as to provide a high quality return link for the first radio terminal. Accordingly, the interference of the first radioterminal with the transmission of the second radioterminal in the satellite coverage area 612b for the space-based network can be reduced. In addition, the elements of the embodiments described above with respect to Figures 3 to 6 can be combined. For example, the terrestrial communication networks 100 of Figures 3 and / or 4 may include one or more reception-only base stations configured to receive communications from radioterminals outside the perimeter 125 (as described above with respect to the peripheral base stations 520 of Figure 5), thereby further improving the uplink quality, as compared to the downlink quality outside the perimeter 125. In addition or alternatively, a reception-only base station can be replaced by one or more of the stations peripheral base 120 of Figures 3 and / or 4. Similarly, the terrestrial communication networks 500 of Figures 5 and 6 may include one or more base stations that provide transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the network coverage area. terrestrial with greater power than transmissions directed away from the interior portions of the cobert area ura of the terrestrial network (as described above with respect to the peripheral base stations 120 of Figure 3). For example, a peripheral base station 120 such as that described above with respect to Figure 3 may be replaced by one or more of the inner base stations 510a-b, 51 Od, 510e-g or 510h-ia along the perimeter 525. In addition or alternatively, a peripheral base station 120 such as that described above with respect to Figure 3 may be replaced by one or more of the peripheral base stations 520 of Figure 5. Typical embodiments of the invention have been described in the drawings and the specification. invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims. In addition, although particular systems are described above with respect to the figures, analogous methods are also included in the present invention.

Claims (72)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1. - A wireless communication system comprising: a terrestrial network that includes a plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network, the plurality of base stations including indoor base stations that provide service of communications for the radioterminal in an interior portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network and peripheral base stations that provide communications service for the radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, where at least one of the Peripheral base stations provide transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a higher power than transmissions directed away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network.
2. 2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the indoor base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. 3. - The wireless communication system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 4. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the indoor base station and wherein the transmissions are directed from at least one Inner base station to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the at least one indoor base station. 5. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one Peripheral base station provides transmissions for at least one sector with address basically to an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with greater power than to another sector directed basically away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 6. The wireless communication system according to claim 5, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional transmission antennas for sectors directed basically towards interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, but not for the sector directed basically away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 7. The wireless communication system according to claim 6, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional receiving antennas directed to each of the sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station. 8. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one indoor base station. 9. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises: a second terrestrial network that includes a second plurality of base stations that provides the communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the terrestrial network, where a non-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas, so that communications services are not provided by the base stations or the first or the second terrestrial networks in the region without service. 10. - The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises: a space-based network comprising at least one satellite, the space-based network providing the communications service for the radioterminal in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing the communications service for the radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, where at least a portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network is within the first satellite coverage area, where a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network is outside the second satellite coverage area, where at least one of the base stations provides the communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and wherein at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals that receive communications from the at least one of the base stations using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band . 11. The wireless communication system according to claim 10, further characterized in that the space-based network transmits communications to the radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using the first frequency, wherein the network based on the space transmits communications to the radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using the second frequency and wherein the at least one of the base stations transmits communications using the second frequency. 12. The wireless communication system according to claim 11, further characterized in that the space-based network receives communications from the radioterminal in the first satellite coverage area using at least a third frequency, wherein the network with base in the space receives communications from the radioterminal in the second satellite coverage area using at least a fourth frequency, wherein at least one of the base stations receives communications using the fourth frequency and wherein at least one of the stations base does not receive communications, from the radioterminals that receive communications from the at least one of the base stations, using the third frequency. 13. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the terrestrial network includes a plurality of exclusively reception base stations configured to receive communications from radioterminal in the peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the communication service for a radio terminal is provided by a base station exclusively for reception that receives communications from the radio terminal and by another base station that transmits communications to the radio terminal. 14. - A wireless communication system comprising: a terrestrial network that includes a plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network, the plurality of base stations including indoor base stations that provide the communication service for the radioterminal in an interior portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network and peripheral base stations that provide the communications service for the radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is a base station exclusively for reception that does not transmit. 15. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, such that the interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the the other side of the perimeter. 16. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 17. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one indoor base station and wherein the transmissions are directed from the at least one indoor base station to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the at least one indoor base station. 18. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional receiving antennas for at least one of the sectors. 19. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, further characterized in that it comprises: a second terrestrial network that includes a second plurality of base stations that provide the communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the terrestrial network, where a non-service region separates the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial networks, so that communications services are not provided by the base stations neither of the first nor of the second terrestrial networks in the region without service. 20. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, further characterized in that it comprises: a space-based network comprising at least one satellite, the space-based network providing the communications service for the radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing the communications service for the radioteleminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein at least a portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network is within the first satellite coverage area, where a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network is outside the second satellite coverage area, wherein at least one of the base stations provides communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and wherein at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals that receive communications from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. 21. The wireless communication system according to claim 20, further characterized in that the space-based network transmits communications to the radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using the first frequency, wherein the network based on the space transmits communications to the radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using the second frequency and wherein the at least one of the base stations transmits communications using the second frequency. 22. - The wireless communication system according to claim 21, further characterized in that the space-based network receives communications from the radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using at least a third frequency, wherein the network based on the space receives communications from the radioterminal in the second satellite coverage area using at least a fourth frequency, wherein at least one of the base stations receives communications using the fourth frequency and wherein at least one of the base stations does not receives communications from the radioterminals that receive communications from the base stations, using the third frequency. 23. A wireless communication system comprising: a terrestrial network that includes a plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a coverage area of the terrestrial network, the plurality of base stations including indoor base stations that provide the communications service for the radioterminal in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations that provide the communications service for the radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, whereby minus one of the peripheral base stations is basically disabled for transmission away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 24. - The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or the indoor base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the internal base stations of The terrestrial network is located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. 25. The wireless communication system according to claim 24, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 26. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one of the indoor base stations. 27. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations transmits and receives communications and wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations comprises a peripheral base station exclusively receiving . 28. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that it comprises: a second terrestrial network that includes a second plurality of base stations that provide communications service for radioterminals through a second coverage area of the network terrestrial, where a region without service separates the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial network, so that the communications services are not provided by the base stations neither of the first nor of the second terrestrial networks in the region without service . 29. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that it comprises: a space-based network comprising at least one satellite, the space-based network providing the communications service for the radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing the communications service for the radioteleminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, where at least a portion of! coverage area of the terrestrial network is within the first satellite coverage area, where a complete part of the coverage area of the terrestrial network is outside the second satellite coverage area, where at least one of the Base stations provide communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band and where at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and / or from the radioterminals that receive communications from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band. 30. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a higher power than the directed transmissions away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 31. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations is a base station exclusively for reception that does not transmit. 32.- A method to provide communications for radioterminals, the method comprising: providing the communications service for the radioterminals in an inner portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using indoor base stations; and providing the communications service for the radioterminal in a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area using peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with greater power than transmissions directed away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 33. - The method according to claim 32, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the indoor base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. 34.- The method according to claim 33, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. The method according to claim 33, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one indoor base station and wherein the transmissions are directed from the less a base station interior to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the at least one indoor base station. 36. The method according to claim 32, further characterized in that the at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one base station peripheral provides transmissions to at least one sector directed basically to an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with greater power than to another sector directed basically away from the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 37.- The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional transmission antennas for sectors directed primarily towards interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, but not for the sector directed basically away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 38.- The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional receiving antennas directed to at least one of the sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station 39.- The method according to claim 32, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one indoor base station. The method according to claim 32, further characterized in that it comprises: providing communications for the radioterminals in a second coverage area of the terrestrial network using a second plurality of base stations, wherein a non-service region separates the first and second areas of terrestrial network coverage, so that communications services are not provided by the base stations neither of the first nor of the second coverage areas of the terrestrial network in the region without service. 41. A method for providing communications for radioterminals, the method comprising: providing the communications service for the radioterminals in an inner portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of indoor base stations; and providing the communications service for the radioterminal in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is an exclusively receiving base station that does not transmit . The method according to claim 41, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, such that the interior base stations of the network land are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. 43.- The method according to claim 42, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. The method according to claim 41, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the indoor base station and where the transmissions are routed from the at least one base station inner to each of the sectors, so that the transmissions are directed through a 360 degree pattern that surrounds the at least one indoor base station. The method according to claim 41, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one peripheral base station includes directional reception antennas for at least one of the sectors. 46. The method according to claim 41, further characterized in that it comprises: providing the communications service for the radioterminals in a second coverage area of the terrestrial network using a second plurality of base stations, wherein a region without service separates the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial network, so that communications services are not provided by base stations neither of the first nor of the second coverage areas of the terrestrial network in the region without service. 47.- A method for providing communications for radioterminals, the method comprising: providing communications for the radioterminals in an interior portion of a coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of indoor base stations; and providing communications for the radioterminals in a peripheral portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network using a plurality of peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is basically disabled for transmission away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 48. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that the peripheral base stations and / or the interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, so that the interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter. 49. The method according to claim 48, further characterized in that the perimeter is closed surrounding inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 50. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different transmission antenna elements and / or different gain patterns. of transmission to at least one of the indoor base stations. 51. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that at least one of the indoor base stations transmits and receives communications and wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations comprises a peripheral receiving base station exclusively. 52. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that it comprises: providing the communications service for the radioterminals in a second coverage area of the terrestrial network using a second plurality of base stations, wherein a non-service region separates the first and second coverage areas of the terrestrial network, so that communications services are not provided by base stations neither of the first nor of the second coverage areas of the terrestrial network in the region without service. 53. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed towards an inner portion of the coverage area of the terrestrial network with a higher power than the transmissions directed away from the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network. 54. The method according to claim 47, further characterized in that at least one of the peripheral base stations is a base station exclusively for reception that does not transmit. A wireless communication system comprising: a plurality of interior downlink transmitters configured to transmit communications to radioterminals located in interior portions of a coverage area of the terrestrial network; a plurality of interior uplink receivers configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in the interior portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network; and a plurality of peripheral uplink receivers configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in a peripheral region of the coverage area of the terrestrial network adjacent to the inner portions of the coverage area of the terrestrial network, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral region is outside a projected coverage area of any downlink transmitter of the communication system. 56.- The wireless communication system according to claim 55, further characterized in that a downlink for a radio-terminal in the peripheral region is provided from one of the internal downlink transmitters and wherein an uplink for the radio-terminal in the peripheral region is provided from one of the peripheral uplink receivers. 57.- An Auxiliary Terrestrial Component (ATC) that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radiotelephones using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency through an ATC service area, the ATC comprising: a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of radiotelephones using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency, the plurality of base stations including at least one indoor base station that is located in a interior portion of the ATC service area and at least one peripheral base station which is located at a periphery of the ATC service area, at least one peripheral base station having fewer transmission sectors, fewer transmission antenna elements, different elements of transmission antenna and / or different transmission gain patterns to at least one indoor base station. 58.- The ATC according to claim 57, further characterized in that at least one indoor base station is at least one transmitting and receiving indoor base station, the ATC further comprising at least one peripheral receiving base station exclusively. 59.- A terrestrial communication network that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radiotelephones, the terrestrial communication network comprising: a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of radiotelephones, the plurality of base stations including at least one base station having a return link margin greater than a direct link margin through at least a portion of a coverage area thereof. 60.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 59, further characterized in that the at least one base station having a return link margin greater than a direct link margin, comprises a peripheral base station which is located at a periphery of the service area of the terrestrial communication network. 61.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 60, further characterized in that it comprises: at least one indoor base station that is located in an inner portion of the service area of the terrestrial communication network. 62.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 61, further characterized in that the at least one indoor base station is at least one indoor transmitting and receiving base station and wherein the peripheral base station comprises a peripheral base station exclusively receiver 63.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 60, further characterized in that the portion of the coverage area comprises a sector of 120 degrees extending from the base station. 64.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 61, further characterized in that the peripheral base station is located between the at least one indoor base station and an airport. 65.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 61, further characterized in that the peripheral base station is located between the at least one indoor base station and a navigable waterway. 66. - The terrestrial communication network according to claim 61, further characterized in that the peripheral base station includes at least two sectors of coverage area. 67.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 66, further characterized in that a first sector of the coverage area is configured to emit in a direction basically to the south with an increased power level with respect to a second sector of the area of coverage. 68.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 66, further characterized in that a first sector of the coverage area is configured to emit in a direction basically to the north with an increased power level with respect to a second sector of the area of coverage. 69.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 66, further characterized in that a first sector of the coverage area is configured to emit in a direction basically north with a reduced power level with respect to a second sector of the area of coverage. 70.- The terrestrial communication network according to claim 66, further characterized in that a first sector of the coverage area is configured to emit in a direction basically south with a reduced power level with respect to a second sector of the area of coverage. 71. - A terrestrial communication network that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of radiotelephones, the terrestrial communication network comprising: a plurality of base stations that are configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of radiotelephones, the plurality of stations base including at least one base station having at least one antenna that transmits information to at least one radiotelephone using basically Left Circular Polarization (LHCP). 72. The terrestrial communication network according to claim 71, further characterized in that the at least one base station receives information from at least one radiotelephone using an antenna configuration of spatial diversity and / or polarization diversity.