Development of a user terminal for transmitting and receiving voice and data by satellite

• Grant number: 99/06433-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: October 01, 1999
• End date: February 28, 2005
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Telecommunications
• Principal Investigator: Joel Muniz Bezerra
• Grantee: Joel Muniz Bezerra
• Company: Databus Sankay Ltda
• City: São José dos Campos

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop a semifixed voice and data terminal for remote areas and a truck locator for fleet monitoring by satellite. At the end of 2001, the ICO satellite communication system will come on commercial stream, using a constellation of 12 medium orbit satellites. Users of this system will then be able to send and receive voice and data signals through fixed or mobile terminals from anywhere on earth. The ICO group considers Brazil to be one of the three largest markets for this system, particularly, in serving users in remote areas and in monitoring freight trucks. Since Anatel will require present fixed-line telephone suppliers to provide a service for areas of low population density, the ICO expects its system to be a financially feasible option for these operators. In phase 1 of this project, the terminal architecture was defined, the antenna project was carried out, and the RF front-end was built and prototypes of these subsets were assessed. Contact was also established with component suppliers and potential customers and distributors for the above mentioned equipment. For phase 2, the finishing of the front-end project and the antennas is planned in order to compact and fully meet the specifications, the software and hardware development of the terminal, including the telephone and fax interfaces, definition of the terminal manufacturing procedures and tools and the ratification of the equipment with the ITU, ICO, and Anatel. (AU)