Patent ID: 6023463
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A satellite communications system, comprising:a plurality of measurement terminals that are spatially distributed within a portion of a terrestrial coverage area of the satellite communications system, said measurement terminals measuring, over a band of frequencies allocated to the satellite communications system, an amount of interference that is due, at least in part, to another communications system that operates in a frequency band that overlaps at least a portion the band of frequencies, said plurality of measurement terminals each comprising a transmitter for transmitting an indication of the measured interference; anda controller coupled to a receiver for receiving the transmitted indications and comprising a memory for storing the received indications of the measured interference, said controller operating to identify frequency channels for use by a ground station that serves satellite user terminals within the portion of the terrestrial coverage area, the frequency channels being identified in such a manner so as to reduce an amount of satellite power required to provide a desired level of service quality to the satellite user terminals serviced by the at least one ground station.