Communication system with direct link to satellite

摘要

A communication system includes satellites and satellite phones communicating through the satellites directly. The satellite phone forms a highly directed beam toward a satellite of the communications system and adaptively maintains a beam to track the satellite as the satellite phone and/or the satellite moves relative to each other. The satellite phone contains sensors which provide steering information for directing the satellite phone's antenna beam. The communication system links a satellite phone with either another satellite phone and/or a ground based communication system connected to conventional telephone stations. The satellite phone also includes a database that contains the positional information of all potential communication satellites. The communication system coordinates satellite phone beams with a satellite network to facilitate high quality handoffs. Satellite phones can access several satellite networks based upon stored parameters or actively downloaded satellite information.