Patent ID: 7643441

Claim:
A satellite communications method for communicating information from a base station, via a satellite, to one or more user terminals via a single channel of a forward link, said method comprising: providing a satellite having a satellite transponder; determining a separate information rate for information to be transmitted from the base station to each of the user terminals, using the satellite, such that a predetermined amount of margin above a threshold energy per bit to power spectral density noise ratio (Eb/No) is provided in the forward link; formatting data received at the base station into a continuous time division multiplexed (TDM) data stream including a plurality of data frames to be transmitted to the user terminals via the forward link, each data frame formatted to have the determined information rate of the respective user terminal that is to receive the data frame; transmitting the TDM data stream on a single carrier of the forward link, using the satellite; continuously and dynamically adjusting the information rate of subsequent data frames transmitted on the forward link from the base station, via the satellite, for each user terminal to maintain successful communication and maintain the predetermined amount of margin as operating conditions of each user terminal change; and maintaining an approximately constant occupied signal bandwidth of the TDM data stream using spread spectrum modulation as the information rate is changed from data frame to data frame.