STEPHEN RAE CARTER
Pilots at Rnch Vw Dr, San Diego, CA

5592481, Jan 7, 1997

Jun 6, 1995

8/465972

Robert A. Wiedeman - Los Altos CA
Paul A. Monte - San Jose CA
Stephen S. Carter - San Diego CA
William Ames - Poway CA

Globalstar L.P. - San Jose CA
Qualcomm Incorporated - San Diego CA

H04B 7185

370316

A communication system (10), and a method executed by same, for allocating communications traffic through a plurality of satellites (12) of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites. Each of the plurality of satellites is oriented, at any given time when in view of a ground station (18), at a particular elevation angle. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing each of the plurality of satellites with a receiver for receiving communication links from the ground station and a transmitter for transmitting communication links to user terminals; (b) in response to a request for service, determining if a highest elevation angle satellite can be assigned a new communications link; (c) if yes, assigning a new communication link to the highest elevation angle satellite; (d) if no, determining if a second highest elevation angle satellite can be assigned a new communications link; and (e) if yes, assigning a new communication link to the second highest elevation angle satellite. A number of different criteria can be employed in determining if a satellite can be assigned a new communication link, including: determining if the associated satellite has already been assigned a predetermined maximum number of communication links; and determining if the associated satellite, or a particular beam, is transmitting at or near to a power level that corresponds to a maximum peak flux density at the surface of the earth. Each of the steps of assigning is preferably accomplished such that the communication link is simultaneously established through at least two of the satellites to provide for diversity reception at a user's terminal (13).

5691974, Nov 25, 1997

Jan 4, 1995

8/368570

Ephraim Zehavi - Haifa, IL
Stephen S. Carter - San Diego CA
Klein S. Gilhousen - Bozeman MT

Qualcomm Incorporated - San Diego CA

H04J 1302, H04B 7216

370203

Method and apparatus for tracking the frequency and phase of signals in spread spectrum communication systems that makes more efficient use of available carrier frequency and phase information by utilizing a substantial portion or all of the energy occupying the frequency spectrum of a received carrier signal, including energy from communication signals intended for other system users. Multiple spread spectrum communication signals are input in parallel to data receivers where they are despread using preselected despreading codes at an adjustable phase angle and decoded over multiple orthogonal codes active within the communication system. Multiple decoded signals are then combined to form a single phase detection signal which is used by at least one tracking loop to track frequency and phase of the carrier signal for the received communication signals. The tracking loop generates a timing signal which is used to adjust the phase angle used during despreading. In further embodiments, the communication signals are despread using appropriate PN codes and separated into in-phase (I) and quadrature channels (Q) where data symbols are processed by fast Hadamard transformers to generate corresponding data bits.

5812538, Sep 22, 1998

Jan 3, 1997

8/778882

Robert A. Wiedeman - Los Altos CA
Paul A. Monte - San Jose CA
Stephen S. Carter - San Diego CA
William Ames - Poway CA

Globalstar L.P. - San Jose CA
Qualcomm Incorporated - San Diego CA

H04B 7185

370316

A communication system (10), and a method executed by same, for allocating communications traffic through a plurality of satellites (12) of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites. Each of the plurality of satellites is oriented, at any given time when in view of a ground station (18), at a particular elevation angle. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing each of the plurality of satellites with a receiver for receiving communication links from the ground station and a transmitter for transmitting communication links to user terminals; (b) in response to a request for service, determining if a highest elevation angle satellite can be assigned a new communications link; (c) if yes, assigning a new communication link to the highest elevation angle satellite; (d) if no, determining if a second highest elevation angle satellite can be assigned a new communications link; and (e) if yes, assigning a new communication link to the second highest elevation angle satellite. A number of different criteria can be employed in determining if a satellite can be assigned a new communication link, including: determining if the associated satellite has already been assigned a predetermined maximum number of communication links; and determining if the associated satellite, or a particular beam, is transmitting at or near to a power level that corresponds to a maximum peak flux density at the surface of the earth. Each of the steps of assigning is preferably accomplished such that the communication link is simultaneously established through at least two of the satellites to provide for diversity reception at a user's terminal (13).

5666122, Sep 9, 1997

Jul 11, 1994

8/272485

Stephen S. Carter - San Diego CA

Qualcomm Incorporated - San Diego CA

G01S 502, H04B 7185

342357

The signal acquisition process of the present invention enables a radio to rapidly acquire a pilot signal from a satellite after the radio has been out of contact with the satellite for a length of time. The radio first acquires a satellite pilot signal and determines its position in relation to the earth. If the radio is now shut off or loses track of the pilot signal for some other reason, the radio keeps track of the length of time that it has been out of contact with the satellite. This length of time enables the radio to estimate the extent of possible position changes and, therefore, which satellites might be in view and their relative positions to the radio. This allows the radio to make assumptions about variables such as the Doppler shift of the signal that reduces the uncertainty inherent in the acquisition process and the size of the window that must be searched.

7603104, Oct 13, 2009

Dec 10, 2001

10/015996

Stephen Carter - San Diego CA, US
Gene Pitkin - Oceanside CA, US
Henry Tong - Carlsbad CA, US

QUALCOMM Incorporated - San Diego CA

H04M 1/66, H04M 1/68, H04M 3/16

455411, 455410, 4554141, 455558, 379145, 379189

A system of operating a wireless handset capable of making clear and secure calls is claimed. A secure call may be made by pressing a key for a predetermined amount of time. The handset enters a secure mode if the key is held for a time period greater than the predetermined amount of time. The handset enters a clear mode if the key is held for a time period less than the predetermined amount of time.

7333614, Feb 19, 2008

Nov 16, 2001

09/991506

Tad Jarosinski - San Diego CA, US
Daniel H. Agre - La Jolla CA, US
Stephen S. Carter - San Diego CA, US
Mehraban Iraninejad - Del Mar CA, US
Joseph P. Odenwalder - Rancho Santa Fe CA, US
Roy Franklin Quick - San Diego CA, US
Charles E. Wheatley - Del Mar CA, US

QUALCOMM Incorporated - San Diego CA

H04N 7/167

380268, 380270, 380 31, 380 33, 380 37, 370342

A system and method for encrypting all channels of a wireless spread spectrum communication at the chip level. The PN sequence is encrypted with one or more encryption sequences and then used to spread the signal.