Patent ID: 7043199

Claim:
An uplink power control system for terminals in a satellite communication system comprising: a satellite terminal operable to transmit uplink signals to and receive downlink signals from a satellite and comprising a programmable processing device, said downlink signals comprising feedback power data generated at said satellite in response to said uplink signals; and a power control module operating with said processing device to adjust transmit power for said uplink signals in accordance with said feedback power data, wherein said power control module maintains and updates data relating to the uplink spectrum and adjusts said transmit power using said data; wherein said downlink signals comprise a beacon signal, said power control module being operable to determine carrier to poise or C/N data using said beacon signal, to maintain and update fade data relating to estimated uplink fade using said C/N data, and wherein said spectrum data comprises the satellite terminal transmit spectrum and the satellite receive spectrum, said power control module adjusting said transmit power using said fade data and said spectrum data; and wherein said downlink signal comprises an uplink power control status packet generated at said satellite for said terminal, said status packet comprising signal to noise ratio data corresponding to a frequency channel in said satellite communication channel on which said uplink signals are being transmitted, and further comprising a storage device for storing a plurality of filter tables for storing said fade data and said spectrum data, said power control module being operable to update said filter tables when said status packet is received.