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NETWORK & COVERAGE
Future Network
Intellectual Property
As an integral part of the process of conceiving, designing and developing SkyTerra's next generation integrated network, MSV has prepared and filed over 100 patent applications representing over 4,000 claims related to the commercialization and development of a satellite-terrestrial integrated network. The applications have been filed in both the United States and in several key countries abroad. It is SkyTerra's belief that a next generation, integrated network cannot effectively and efficiently be implemented on a commercially viable basis without the benefits of the company's patent portfolio. SkyTerra is committed to vigorously enforcing and defending the right afforded to the company through its patents.
Some key areas SkyTerra believes are covered by its intellectual property are listed below:
- The ability to achieve transparency through efficient space segment design involving the satellites, satellite air interface, and optimum/adaptive signal processing at the satellite gateway;
- Frequency reuse, allocation, and control in a dynamic and agile manner to achieve maximum spectral efficiencies and reduce interference;
- The ability to further reduce interference by utilizing satellite beam forming techniques to effect real time beam shaping and load balancing;
- The ability to configure the satellite and terrestrial integrated network components to function substantially autonomously in order to reduce system complexity and deployment cost; and
- The ability to seamlessly hand-over communications between the terrestrial and satellite components of the integrated network.
The comprehensive lead that SkyTerra has achieved on MSS/ATC patents provides a truly sustainable competitive advantage and presents significant obstacles to other MSS/ATC deployments.
The following summary chart further highlights the ATC technology status differential between SkyTerra and others, and includes a summary of the exclusive commercial implications that SkyTerra offers to MSS/ATC systems designed without the benefit of SkyTerra's intellectual property.
ATC Patent Filing Comparison in Certain Broad Areas of Intellectual Property:
|
ATC Feature |
SkyTerra Patent Coverage? |
Potential Consequence |
|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum reuse by the two components of the hybrid system (MSS and ATC) |
|
Only alternative of band segmentation is also subject to SkyTerra patents |
|
Band segmentation by the two components of the hybrid system |
|
Only alternative of spectrum reuse is also subject to SkyTerra patents |
|
Interference management and interference reduction techniques |
|
Alternative is reduction in quality of service, capacity for space segment and ATC network |
|
Using substantially the same air interface over MSS and ATC |
|
Alternatives are different air interfaces resulting in larger and more expensive user equipment (no transparency) |
|
Transparency satellite and associated signal processing |
|
Alternatives are the use of legacy satellites without transparency |
|
Transparent user equipment |
|
Alternatives are larger, more expensive equipment with higher battery drain |
|
System design allowing for substantial autonomy for MSS and ATC operations in establishing communications |
|
Alternatives are impractical. A nation-wide ATC must be able to function autonomously in using its resources to provide service (typical of all cellular networks) |
|
Mobility Management |
|
Alternatives are no ATC to MSS handover resulting in dropped calls |
For a more extensive discussion of SkyTerra's intellectual property:
An ATC Primer: The Future of Communications
