After launching the Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro in the United States and Canada, Apple recently expanded to the UK, France, Ireland, and Germany for users to connect to emergency services via satellite when facing an emergency in remote areas with no Wi-Fi and Cellular connectivity.
Now, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a new patent that describes the use of satellite communication for calls, video streaming, and more.
Apple could implement satellite communication tech for video streaming, calls, and more
Patently Apple spotted the patent titled “Communication Terminal” filed by a few inventors of Emergency SOS via satellite which details the use of the technology for television data, calls, and more.
Apple’s patent FIG. 2 below covers transceivers (#28) that may each be satellite communications transceivers. If desired, transceivers #28 may include other transceiver circuitry for handling wireless local area network communications, wireless personal area network communications, cellular telephone communications, or other non-satellite and/or terrestrial communications using antenna radiators #30. Satellite communications data conveyed by transceivers #28 and antenna radiators #30 may include media data (e.g., streaming video, television data, satellite radio data, etc.), voice data (e.g., telephone voice data), internet data, and/or any other desired data.
Previously, Apple shared that it invested $450 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to financially support its satellite communication partner Globalstar to set up infrastructure like satellite network and ground stations in the United States to make ‘Emergency SOS via satellite’ possible.
Therefore, it makes sense for the tech giant to use the technology it developed and infrastructure funded it to have more versatile usage.
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