Patent ID: 6201961
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
In a satellite communication system, a method of providing a broadcast service, comprising the steps of:initiating a call between a reference phone and a broadcast service provider, the reference phone being located at a terrestrial location;assigning call parameters to the reference phone with a terrestrial satellite communication controller for completing the call between the broadcast service provider and the reference phone;transmitting information from the broadcast service provider to the reference phone, the information being transmitted through a terrestrial gateway and at least one earth orbiting satellite over a forward RF link;calling a predetermined telephone number associated with the broadcast service provider from a user terminal in the vicinity of the terrestrial location of the reference phone;assigning call parameters with the terrestrial satellite communication controller to the user terminal for enabling the user terminal to receive the same information as the reference phone, the same information being transmitted through the terrestrial gateway and the at least one earth orbiting satellite over the forward RF link; andreceiving the transmitted information with the user terminal, the transmitted information being received simultaneously by the reference phone; whereinthe step of transmitting information from the broadcast service provider to the reference phone includes a step of determining, in the reference phone, signal quality information for the forward RF link, and a step of transmitting the determined signal quality information from the reference phone to the terrestrial gateway through the at least one earth orbiting satellite for enabling the terrestrial gateway to control at least the transmitted power of the forward RF link to the reference Phone and to the user terminal in accordance with the forward RF link signal quality information that is determined by the reference phone.