Patent ID: 7593726
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of at least one of assigning, reusing and borrowing frequencies between one or more communications systems, comprising the steps of: configuring a first satellite spot beam for providing space-based communications having a first set of frequencies associated therewith and comprising a first substantially central portion and a first substantially peripheral portion; configuring a second satellite spot beam for providing space-based communications having a second set of frequencies associated therewith; configuring at least one terrestrial cell for providing terrestrial communications comprising a service region that at least partially overlaps with a service region of the first satellite spot beam, the at least one terrestrial cell having a third set of frequencies associated therewith; at least one of assigning to, reusing by and borrowing by, the at least one terrestrial cell, at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies, responsive to at least one predetermined criterion associated with the third set of frequencies; detecting a signal that is associated with the at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or the at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies; determining, in response to the detecting, whether a handoff should be made from the at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or the at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies to at least one alternate frequency, other than the at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or the at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies, the at least one alternate frequency comprising a signal that is weaker than the signal that is associated with the at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or the at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies; and selectively handing off communications for the at least one frequency of the second set of frequencies and/or the at least one frequency of the first set of frequencies to the at least one alternate frequency, in response to the determining.