Patent ID: 6657978
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method of communicating over a satellite, wherein the satellite comprises a plurality of antennas, each antenna characterized by an area of coverage in close proximity to the earth (an â€œantenna footprintâ€ ) and configured to receive signals from an earth station and to transmit signals to an earth station within the footprint of that antenna the method comprising:receiving at one of the plurality of antennas an uplink signal (an â€œuplink antennaâ€ ); based on the frequency of the uplink signal received at the uplink antenna, selecting from the plurality of antennas a downlink antenna; selecting based on the downlink antenna a downlink signal frequency; converting the uplink signal frequency to the downlink signal frequency; and transmitting the downlink signal from the downlink antenna at the downlink frequency.