Patent ID: 6847817
Filing Date: 2005-01-25
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. In a satellite communication system, apparatus for transmitting communication data across a plurality of ground-based user sites of a ground-based wide band network where, on the onset of data transmission impairments a protocol is sent to additional ground-based links or hub terminals to maximize satellite system power flux density, and to re-route and to hand over communication data from ground-based user sites to ensure communication data continuity, the apparatus comprising: one or more communication satellites arranged to receive user communication data from the user sites on user uplinks and to transmit user communication data to user sites on user downlinks; a plurality of ground-based hub terminals arranged to receive the user communication data on hub downlinks from the one or more satellites and to transmit the user communication data to the one or more satellites, from the network on hub uplinks; a communication manager configured to determine communication requirements between the satellite and the network and to identify a plurality of hub terminals to exchange user communication data with the satellite in the event that one hub terminal is insufficient to meet the communication requirements; wherein user communication data is transmitted over parallel paths through the plurality of hub terminals in the event that one hub terminal is insufficient to meet the communication requirements.