Patent ID: 8121536

Claim:
A method comprising: employing a processor executing computer-readable instructions to perform the following acts: identifying, by a terminal, a change in a return link signal quality of a gateway for a return link from the terminal through a satellite to the gateway, the return link being shared by a plurality of terminals having an interference relationship, wherein the identifying the change in the return link signal quality comprises: identifying a change in a signal-to-noise ratio for the return link from the terminal comprising: measuring a forward link signal-to-noise ratio at the terminal for a forward link from the gateway through the satellite to the terminal; and approximating the signal-to-noise ratio for the return link at the gateway based on the forward link signal-to-noise ratio; interpreting the change in the signal-to-noise ratio as indicating the change in the return link signal quality; receiving a feedback signal at the terminal, from the gateway, the feedback signal indicating at least one of the signal-to-noise ratio for the return link as measured at the gateway or the change in the signal-to-noise ratio for the return link as measured at the gateway; and adjusting a data rate, at the terminal, for a message sent from the terminal via the return link based on the change in the return link signal quality, without changing the interference relationship among the plurality of terminals, wherein the adjusting the data rate increases the return link signal quality in response to a degradation of the return link signal quality.