Patent ID: 6661996
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method for operating a satellite communication system comprising a plurality of terrestrial gateways, at least one user terminal, and a plurality of satellites forming a constellation of non-geosynchronous satellites, comprising steps of:establishing a call connection between a terrestrial telecommunications network and a user terminal via a first gateway and at least one satellite; and while the call connection is established, coupling the user terminal to the terrestrial telecommunications network via a second gateway, a inter-gateway communications link, the first gateway, and through the at least one satellite or through at least one further satellite; wherein the step of coupling includes communicating call-related information between the first gateway and the second gateway through the inter-gateway communications link; wherein the inter-gateway communications link bidirectionally couples the first gateway to the second gateway without passing through any of the satellites of the constellation of satellites.