Patent ID: 6539200
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
In a satellite communications system comprising at least one gateway, one satellite, and a user terminal (UT), wherein the satellite produces a footprint formed by a plurality of beams and each beam includes a plurality of channels, a method for sending a page to the UT, comprising:(a) recalling a location of the UT that corresponds to a known location of the UT at a time t1; (b) determining an area defined by a radius originating at the UT location, within which the UT is assumed to be located at a later time t2, and based on a distance the UT could have traveled in a time period t2âˆ’t1; (c) determining when all locations within the area are located within a predetermined preferential higher gain portion of the footprint of the satellite at a time t3, where t3&gE;t2; and (d) sending the page from the gateway to the UT on at least one of the channels.