Patent ID: 7058403

Claim:
A method for operating a software layer in a user's access terminal in a satellite based telecommunications systems, comprising the step of: entering a deregistered state from power-off state: initiating an attach request procedure from an access terminal to an existing network; identifying a PLMN of a first broadcast channel, camping on the first broadcast channel and establishing deregistered service with a first network through use of the first broadcast channel; entering a registered illuminated state if a dark beam is illuminated, and entering a deregistered dark beam state if the dark beam is not illuminated; and engaging in telecommunication activities with a new network while in the registered illuminated dark beam states; and wherein the step of entering a registered illuminated dark beam state if a dark beam is illuminated comprises: entering a deregistered illuminated attach needed state from the deregistered illuminated normal service state based on a third set of conditions; entering an illuminated GMM registered initiated state from the deregistered illuminated attach needed state based on a fourth set of conditions; and entering into a registered illuminated normal service state from the GMM registered illuminated initiated state based on a fifth set of conditions; and wherein the third set of conditions comprises: an attach request is initiated to a second network from the access terminal in a first network.