Patent ID: 6101385
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A satellite communications system of a type having at least one satellite that projects forward and reverse beams that move across the surface of the earth, each of said beams being comprised of sub-beams for relaying user communications between a ground station and user terminals, said system further comprising a data processor for determining user terminal RF signal conditions within said sub-beams of at least one of said forward and reverse beams, said data processor being responsive to said determined RF signal conditions for re-allocating sub-beams of at least one of said forward and reverse beams such that the totality of the sub-beams of the forward beam are non-congruent with the totality of the sub-beams of the reverse beam, at the surface of the earth, while maintaining the forward beam substantially congruent with the reverse beam, at the surface of the earth.