Patent ID: 6570859
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A satellite communication system having a spatial segment comprising at least one satellite carrying a multi-beam telecommunication payload and a terrestrial segment comprising access gateways to terrestrial networks each gateway arranged to communicate with a/the satellite via a forward link uplink beam and a return link downlink beam and user terminals each arranged to communicate with a satellite via a forward link downlink beam and a return link uplink beam, wherein the forward link carries signals multiplexed in time and the return link carries signals multiplexed in frequency and time, the payload comprising;a forward link router for routing signals multiplexed in time from a forward link uplink beam on a frame basis to a forward link downlink beam, a return link router for routing signals multiplexed in frequency and time from a return link uplink beam on a frequency bank basis to a return link downlink beam, and a mesh communication router for receiving signals multiplexed in frequency and time from a return link uplink beam, generating signals multiplexed in time and routing these signals to a forward link downlink beam.