Patent ID: 6128487
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A communications system, comprising:a satellite system component that includes at least one satellite; andat least one terrestrial gateway that comprises a transmitter and a receiver for being bidirectionally coupled to said at least one satellite;said communications system further comprising at least one terrestrial paging system; andat least one user unit for being wirelessly coupled to said at least one terrestrial gateway, through said at least one satellite, or to said at least one terrestrial paging system; whereinsaid at least one gateway comprises a paging system for receiving a page message for said at least one user unit, for storing said received page message, and for attempting to selectively deliver said received page message to said user unit through one of said at least one satellite or through said terrestrial paging system; andfurther comprising at least one virtual gateway that is bidirectionally coupled to said terrestrial paging system and to said at least one gateway through said at least one satellite, said virtual gateway being responsive to an assignment of satellite system component resources from said at least one gateway through said at least one satellite for using the assigned satellite system component resources for receiving a page message for said at least one user unit, and for inputting the received page message into said terrestrial paging system.